Ohio resident sues Ultimate Health Services for disability benefits issues

HUNTINGTON -- An Ohio woman is suing Ultimate Health Services after she claims it was responsible for causing her short-term disability benefits to be denied.

Ultimate Health Services is doing business as Huntington Internal Medicine Group.

Dr. William R. Beam was also named as a defendant in the suit.

In 2008, Jerry Riley was diagnosed with severe COPD and Beam determined in early 2009 that Riley was completely disabled from her job at BB&T, according to a complaint filed May 5 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Riley claims she filed a short-term disability claim with The Hartford via telephone, who then informed the defendants it needed a copy of her medical records in order to file the short-term disability claim.

The defendants failed and/or refused to send Riley's medical records to The Hartford and her claim was denied, according to the suit.

Riley claims between May and November 2009, she called and visited the defendants in an effort to convince them to respond to The Hartford's request for her medical records.

The defendants did not release Riley's medical records to The Hartford, which resulted in the loss of her job at BB&T because she could not work due to her disability, according to the suit.

Riley claims she discussed Beam's actions with Frank Metzer of HIMG, who then presented her with a release and offered her $5,000 to settle the claim.

Beam owed Riley a fiduciary duty to complete the forms for The Hartford and failed to do so, as well as failed to provide The Hartford with her medical records, according to the suit.

Riley is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Timothy P. Rosinsky and Sharon Rowsey.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 11-C-287