Subrogation
The purpose of the Long-Term Disability Plan is to provide benefits for eligible Long-Term Disability expenses that are not the responsibility of any third party. The Long-Term Disability Plan has the right to recover from any third party responsible for compensating you with respect to an illness or injury that results in the plan making payments on your behalf or on behalf of a covered dependent. This is known as subrogation of benefits. The following rules apply to the plan's subrogation of benefits rights:
- The plan has first priority from any amounts recovered from a third party for the full amount of benefits it has paid on your behalf regardless of whether you are fully compensated by the third party for your losses.
- You agree to help the plan use this right when requested.
- In the event that you fail to help the plan use this right when requested, the plan may deduct the amount the plan paid from any future benefits payable under the plan.
- The plan has the right to take whatever legal action it deems appropriate against any third party to recover the benefits paid under the plan.
- If the amount you receive as a recovery from a third party is insufficient to satisfy the plan's subrogation claim in full, the plan's subrogation claim shall be first satisfied before any part of a recovery is applied to your claim against the third party.
- The plan is not responsible for any attorney fees, attorney liens, or other expenses you may incur without the plan's prior written consent. The "common fund" doctrine does not apply to any amount recovered by any attorney you retain regardless of whether the funds recovered are used to repay benefits paid by the plan.