ST. LOUIS — A former employee has filed a lawsuit against St. Louis University (SLU) and Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, alleging both parties breached their contract by terminating her long-term disability benefits without notice.
According to the petition initially filed in St. Louis Circuit Court and later removed to U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Theresa Ann Thornton was an employee of SLU and participated in a Group Long Term Disability Program provided through her employment.
The policy, issued by Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, was designed to provide monthly benefits to employees deemed totally disabled.
Thornton claims she became totally disabled under the policy’s terms and began receiving monthly benefits.
The lawsuit states that SLU and Reliance Insurance acknowledged her compliance with all requirements and began paying her benefits.
However, in 2019, those payments were allegedly terminated without notice or explanation.
Thornton has attempted to have her benefits reinstated but says her efforts have been unsuccessful.
The lawsuit alleges both SLU and Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company were contractually obligated to continue payments and failed to uphold their agreement, according to the suit.
The complaint outlines two counts of breach of contract, one directed at each defendant.
Thornton argues that her participation in the Group Disability Program was part of the compensation for her work at SLU, and that she fulfilled all conditions required under the policy.
The lawsuit asserts that the termination of her benefits constitutes a breach of the policy's terms.
In the first count against SLU, the lawsuit claims the university violated its agreement by failing to ensure continued payments under the disability policy.
Thornton contends that SLU's failure to uphold its obligations resulted in financial damages exceeding $25,000.
She seeks a judgment for these damages along with legal fees and other relief deemed appropriate by the court, according to the suit.
The second count targets Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, accusing it of breaching its contractual obligation to administer and pay disability benefits.
Thornton argues that the insurance company was required to continue payments once she met the policy's conditions and that its failure to do so caused her significant financial harm. Thornton also seeks more than $25,000 in damages from Reliance, along with attorney's fees and related expenses.
Thornton asserts that both defendants received valuable consideration in exchange for the disability policy and that she fulfilled her duties under the agreement.
The lawsuit alleges that the abrupt termination of her benefits caused her economic hardship and violated the contractual terms established between the parties.
Thornton's lawsuit seeks to hold SLU and Reliance accountable for what she describes as an unjustified termination of benefits that were contractually promised.
Neither SLU nor Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company has publicly responded to the allegations.
Thornton is represented by Ted F. Frapolli of the Law Offices of Ted F. Frapolli in St. Louis.
The plainitff's attorney declined to also comment any further on the case.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri case number: 4:25-cv-00208