Moyle v. Golden Eagle Insurance
Docket: No. 05-56858
Court: Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; August 23, 2007; Federal Appellate Court
The district court's dismissal of Geoff Moyle's cause of action under 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a)(1)(B) was upheld due to his failure to exhaust administrative remedies regarding his future benefits. The summary plan materials empowered the plan administrator to determine beneficiaries' rights and interpret the Benefit Plan, necessitating that Moyle utilize these administrative procedures for clarification. As he did not file a formal claim, the one-year limitation period in the Benefit Plan is not applicable. Moyle retains the ability to seek clarification of his rights or pursue a benefits claim in federal court after exhausting administrative remedies. The court found no abuse of discretion in denying Moyle's request to forgive his failure to exhaust, as he did not demonstrate that such exhaustion would be futile or that the plan administrator would not consider his claim impartially. Additionally, Moyle's assertion of equitable estoppel was dismissed, as he cannot claim entitlement to advice on appealing a non-existent claim. The plan administrator's lack of communication about the claims process does not exempt Moyle from exhausting administrative remedies, since he could have taken minimal steps to seek clarification. Moyle's claims under 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a)(3) were also rejected, referencing Varity Corp. v. Howe, which establishes that he has sufficient relief under § 1132(a)(1). His arguments for equitable relief to ensure the Benefit Plan's integrity were unsupported by the complaint's facts. The court's decision was affirmed, and the disposition is not intended for publication or to serve as precedent, per 9th Cir. R. 36-3.