Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc., a subsidiary of of Saint-Gobain Group, was sued in U.S. District Court for denying health insurance to the former wife of a retired employee, after heart surgery and a s
May 22, 2005 (Press Release) --
US DIVISION OF FRENCH GIANT SAINT-GOBAIN SUED IN US DISTRICT COURT FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS
(Monrovia, California, USA – May 19, 2005). Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc., an Indiana-based subsidiary of French industrial giant Saint-Gobain Group, was sued on May 6, 2005, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California after denying health insurance benefits to the former wife of a retired employee, after she had heart surgery and a stroke. The retired employee was a 30-year employee of Saint-Gobain Containers’ El Monte, California, facility. His former wife is a resident of Arcadia.
“My client’s problems began in May, 2004, when she her doctors discovered that one of her heart valves was deteriorating,” said Cynthia Coulter Mulvihill, the attorney for the Plaintiff. “Her doctors monitored her condition, and late last year, they decided she should have her heart valve replaced. Her doctors made sure that the surgery was covered under her health insurance policy before they set the surgery for the middle of January 2005.”
“Saint-Gobain Containers’ health insurance plan for its employees and retirees is ‘self-insured’,” continued Ms. Mulvihill. “ That means all medical benefits are actually paid by Saint-Gobain Containers itself. Because my client has been submitting claims for medical benefits since she was diagnosed with her heart problem, Saint-Gobain Containers knew how ill my client was for more than half a year before her surgery.”
“My client had divorced her husband, and as part of the divorce, he agreed to pay for her health insurance,” said Ms. Mulvihill. “In September of 2004, her former husband fell behind on premium payments for his own health insurance coverage. He kept paying for his former wife’s insurance, though.” Even though her premiums were paid up, Saint-Gobain Containers cancelled both of their health insurance policies in December 2004.
“Saint-Gobain Containers had my client’s address and telephone number from the claims forms she had submitted since she and her husband separated in 1994. However, they didn’t tell her that they had cancelled her insurance in December 2004, so she had her heart valve replaced in January of this year. She only found out there was a problem when Saint-Gobain Containers’ Human Resources called her a day or two after she got out of the hospital from heart surgery and told her. Right after they called, she had a stroke and was hospitalized for six more days,” said Attorney Mulvihill.
“My client just retired,” said Ms. Mulvihill. “She worked hard all of her life so that she would be comfortable. Now, she has more than $200,000 in unpaid medical bills and her credit is ruined. Before I filed this lawsuit, I begged Saint-Gobain Containers to change its mind. I even wrote three letters in French to Saint-Gobain Group, the parent company, asking for their help. Saint-Gobain Group never answered. The situation is so bad that I can’t even get anyone to send me a copy of the health insurance policy that was supposed to have been cancelled.”
Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc. was recently fined nearly $1 millions US for violations of the US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act violations that occurred in Madera, California.
(Monrovia, California, USA – May 19, 2005). Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc., an Indiana-based subsidiary of French industrial giant Saint-Gobain Group, was sued on May 6, 2005, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California after denying health insurance benefits to the former wife of a retired employee, after she had heart surgery and a stroke. The retired employee was a 30-year employee of Saint-Gobain Containers’ El Monte, California, facility. His former wife is a resident of Arcadia.
“My client’s problems began in May, 2004, when she her doctors discovered that one of her heart valves was deteriorating,” said Cynthia Coulter Mulvihill, the attorney for the Plaintiff. “Her doctors monitored her condition, and late last year, they decided she should have her heart valve replaced. Her doctors made sure that the surgery was covered under her health insurance policy before they set the surgery for the middle of January 2005.”
“Saint-Gobain Containers’ health insurance plan for its employees and retirees is ‘self-insured’,” continued Ms. Mulvihill. “ That means all medical benefits are actually paid by Saint-Gobain Containers itself. Because my client has been submitting claims for medical benefits since she was diagnosed with her heart problem, Saint-Gobain Containers knew how ill my client was for more than half a year before her surgery.”
“My client had divorced her husband, and as part of the divorce, he agreed to pay for her health insurance,” said Ms. Mulvihill. “In September of 2004, her former husband fell behind on premium payments for his own health insurance coverage. He kept paying for his former wife’s insurance, though.” Even though her premiums were paid up, Saint-Gobain Containers cancelled both of their health insurance policies in December 2004.
“Saint-Gobain Containers had my client’s address and telephone number from the claims forms she had submitted since she and her husband separated in 1994. However, they didn’t tell her that they had cancelled her insurance in December 2004, so she had her heart valve replaced in January of this year. She only found out there was a problem when Saint-Gobain Containers’ Human Resources called her a day or two after she got out of the hospital from heart surgery and told her. Right after they called, she had a stroke and was hospitalized for six more days,” said Attorney Mulvihill.
“My client just retired,” said Ms. Mulvihill. “She worked hard all of her life so that she would be comfortable. Now, she has more than $200,000 in unpaid medical bills and her credit is ruined. Before I filed this lawsuit, I begged Saint-Gobain Containers to change its mind. I even wrote three letters in French to Saint-Gobain Group, the parent company, asking for their help. Saint-Gobain Group never answered. The situation is so bad that I can’t even get anyone to send me a copy of the health insurance policy that was supposed to have been cancelled.”
Saint-Gobain Containers, Inc. was recently fined nearly $1 millions US for violations of the US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act violations that occurred in Madera, California.
Email
Print
SPAM
