Brent Dorian Brehm

Two decisive rulings in the same ERISA long-term disability case. First, on summary judgment, the court found Chevron never properly delegated discretionary authority to its claims administrator, ReedGroup — stripping the denial of deferential review and forcing de novo review instead. Then, after a bench trial, the court entered judgment for Mr. Cobb, rejecting ReedGroup's attempt to reclassify his documented traumatic brain injury as a "mental illness" to trigger the plan's 24-month benefits cap.

The court also faulted the administrator for terminating benefits without ever performing the vocational analysis its own plan required, crediting the comprehensive treating-team record over a single non-specialist paper review.

Trial judgment for a plaintiff who developed chronic, debilitating fatigue, brain fog, and headaches after a COVID-19 vaccination. Unum denied his LTD claim, arguing the medical record lacked objective evidence of disability. The court disagreed, finding Unum's own plan did not require objective proof and that the record — extensive specialist visits, a Mayo Clinic evaluation, and neuropsychological testing ruling out malingering — supported disability by a preponderance of the evidence.

The court also barred Unum from relying on a new rationale — that the plaintiff hadn't disproven part-time work capacity — that it never raised during the claims process, applying the Ninth Circuit's rule that insurers can't invent new justifications for a denial once litigation begins.

Brent secured a court order requiring Brighthouse Life to deposit $250,185.62 in disputed benefits, plus $13,181.01 in accrued interest — a total of $263,366.63 — into the Registry of the Court.

Trial judgment for a plaintiff disabled by trigeminal neuralgia. Judge Maxine M. Chesney found the legal arguments and medical evidence compelled a finding of disability.

Brent successfully defended ERISA fiduciary claims against dismissal, allowing a surviving spouse to pursue relief after her husband lost life insurance coverage due to his employer's failures.

The court found the complaint plausibly alleged breaches of fiduciary duty through misrepresenting coverage status, failing to provide required information, and accepting premiums after coverage lapsed — preserving claims for equitable relief, including surcharge, under § 1132(a)(3).

Brent obtained judgment for a corporate tax director whose LTD benefits were denied over chronic, degenerative back conditions and persistent pain. The court found Sun Life improperly relied on non-examining consultants and discredited treating physicians without justification, and erred in demanding objective evidence for a condition — chronic pain — that is inherently subjective but credibly documented.

The court also rejected arguments based on surveillance footage, social media activity, and a self-assessment performance review as insufficient to rebut the medical evidence.

Trial judgment for a plaintiff in a "full" abuse-of-discretion case involving disability due to depression, anxiety, PTSD, and physical disorders. Brent had handled the administrative appeal prior to litigation.

Judge granted the plaintiff's motion for remand in a case involving disability from a traumatic brain injury, agreeing that Anthem had committed several procedural irregularities warranting further consideration of the claim.

Trial judgment for a former director of sales management disabled by chronic migraines and frequent headaches — able to work when headache-free, unable to work reliably otherwise. MetLife argued there was no objective evidence of disability.

Trial judgment for a plaintiff following three spine surgeries, establishing that sedentary work requires more than "frequent" sitting as the Department of Labor defines the term.

Trial judgment for a plaintiff with fibromyalgia and avascular necrosis, establishing that she was disabled from sedentary work.

The Ninth Circuit reversed summary judgment for the insurer, holding that interpleader does not shield a negligent insurance company from liability for creating the very dispute it seeks to interplead.

The ruling revived claims for $290,000 in lost benefits and litigation costs, reinforcing that insurers must exercise due care when processing beneficiary changes.

Trial judgment for the plaintiff in a self-funded, "full" abuse-of-discretion case involving chronic fatigue syndrome and the plaintiff's efforts to adopt a child.

Brent secured a federal court victory for a client whose long-term disability benefits had been wrongly terminated after years of documented spinal impairment and severe pain. Despite multiple treating neurologists confirming the disabling condition, Prudential relied on limited video surveillance and flawed file reviews to justify cutting off benefits.