Each claim for any benefit disbursement under this Plan is reviewed under the direction of the Board of Trustees.  The facts that are presented with the claim are considered, primarily, in evaluating it.  Sometimes the Fund Office will not receive all the pertinent details when a claim is presented which could result in a denial of your claim.  However, regardless of the reason for the denial, you are entitled to a review of your denied claim.

68. What happens if my application for benefits under the Plan is denied?

Initial Adverse Benefit Determinations

If your claim for benefits is denied in whole or in part for any reason, then within 90 days after this Plan receives your claim, this Plan will send you written notice of its decision, unless special circumstances require an extension, in which case the Plan will send you written notice of the decision no later than 180 days after the Plan receives your claim.  If an extension is necessary you will be given written notice of the extension before the expiration of the initial 90-day period, which shall indicate the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Plan expects to render the benefit determination.

The Plan’s written notice of its decision will include the specific reason or reasons for the adverse benefit determination; reference to specific Plan provisions on which the determination is based; a description of any additional material or information necessary for you to complete your claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary (if applicable); and a description of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of your right to bring a civil action under Section 502(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act following an adverse benefit determination on review.

Appeal of Adverse Benefit Determination

If you are not satisfied with the reason or reasons why your claim was denied, then you may appeal to the Board of Trustees.  To appeal, you must write to the Trustees within 60 days after you receive this Plan’s initial adverse benefit determination.  Your correspondence (or your representative’s correspondence) must include the following statement:  “I AM WRITING IN ORDER TO APPEAL YOUR DECISION TO DENY ME BENEFITS.  YOUR ADVERSE BENEFIT DETERMINATION WAS DATED _________________, 20___.”  If this statement is not included, then the Trustees may not understand that you are making an appeal, as opposed to a general inquiry.  If you have chosen someone to represent you in making your appeal, then your letter (or your representative’s letter) must state that you have authorized him or her to represent you with respect to your appeal, and you must sign such statement.  Otherwise, the Trustees may not be sure that you have actually authorized someone to represent you, and the Trustees do not want to communicate about your situation to someone unless they are sure he or she is your chosen representative.

You shall have the opportunity to submit written comments, documents, records, and other information related to the claim for benefits.  You shall also be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant to your claim for benefits.  A document, record, or other information is relevant to a claim if it was relied upon in making the benefit determination; was submitted, considered, or generated in the course of making the benefit determination, without regard to whether such document, record, or other information was relied upon in making the benefit determination; demonstrates compliance with the administrative processes and safeguards required in making the benefit determination; or, in the case of disability pension claims only, constitutes a statement of policy or guidance with respect to the Plan concerning the denied benefit, without regard to whether such advice or statement was relied upon in making the benefit determination.  The review will take into account all comments, documents, records, and other information submitted by the claimant relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

Determinations on Appeal

The Trustees at their next regularly scheduled meeting will make a determination of the appeal.  However, if the appeal is received less than thirty (30) days before the meeting, the decision may be made at the second meeting following receipt of the request.  If special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, then a decision may be made at the third meeting following the date the appeal is made.  Before an extension of time commences, you will receive written notice of the extension, describing the special circumstances requiring the extension.  The Plan will notify you of the benefit determination no later than 5 days after the determination is made.

If your appeal is denied, the Plan’s written notice of the Board’s decision will include the specific reason or reasons for the adverse benefit determination; reference to specific Plan provisions on which the determination is based; a statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant to your claim for benefits; and a statement of your right to bring a civil action under Section 502(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The Trustees’ final decision with respect to their review of your appeal shall be final and binding upon you, since the Trustees have exclusive authority and discretion to determine all questions of eligibility and entitlement under this Plan.  Nonetheless, if you disagree with the final decision of the Trustees with respect to your appeal, then you may start a legal action against this Plan.