ST. LOUIS — An Indiana resident is suing Missouri-based Ascension Health Alliance, d/b/a Ascension and d/b/a Saint Vincent Health and Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc., citing alleged breach of contract.
Melissa Barnes filed a complaint on Dec. 30 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri against the defendants alleging that they denied an obviously valid claim without sufficient cause.
According to the complaint, the Barnes plaintiff alleges that on May 25, 2015, she suffered from several illnesses, including chronic hypothyroidism, chronic polycystic ovaries, vitamin D deficiency, kidney stones, autoimmune disease, chronic leukocytosis, chronic migraines and chronic nephrolithiasis and remains in a disabled condition. The defendants determined on Feb. 5 that the plaintiff was no longer disabled based on a review of a physician who never examined, interviewed or saw plaintiff, the complaint states.
Barnes holds Ascension Health Alliance and Sedgwick Claims Management Services responsible because they allegedly failed to pay disability benefit payments, failed to properly and adequately investigate the merits of her disability claim and failed to provide a full and fair review of her claim.
Barnes requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants, unpaid benefits, attorney's fees, costs of suit and for any other relief as the court deems just. She is represented by Matthew R. Davis and Brad Elkin of Gallagher Davis LLP in St. Louis.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri Case number 16-cv-02170