Raybourne v. CIGNA Life Insurance

700 F.3d 1076 (7 th Cir. 2012). In this ruling against CIGNA, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling finding that CIGNA had improperly terminated Edward Raybourne’s disability benefits. The court ruled that CIGNA failed to take Raybourne’s Social Security disability benefit determination into consideration, and that CIGNA was motivated by a financial conflict of interest. Raybourne was also successful in challenging CIGNA’s reliance on a so-called independent medical examination. In addition to awarding all benefits due, the court of appeals upheld an award of attorney’s’ fees to Raybourne’s counsel.