Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Parker v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Case Brief

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit1997Docket #64038755
121 F.3d 1006 21 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 1369 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1865 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 19960 1997 WL 431851

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: The court held that Title III of the ADA does not prohibit insurers from offering employer-sponsored disability plans that provide different benefit levels for mental versus physical disabilities, as Title III applies to physical public accommodations.

Legal Significance: This en banc decision significantly limited Title III of the ADA’s application to insurance policy content, holding that “place of public accommodation” refers to a physical space, and employment benefits are governed by Title I.

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Ouida Sue Parker participated in a long-term disability plan offered by her employer, Schering-Plough, and issued by Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (MetLife). The plan provided benefits for physical disabilities until age sixty-five, but limited benefits for mental or nervous disorders to twenty-four months, unless the individual was hospitalized. Parker became disabled due to severe depression and her benefits were terminated after twenty-four months. She filed suit alleging, inter alia, violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), arguing the differentiation in benefits constituted discrimination. The District Court granted summary judgment for the defendants, finding Title III did not apply to the terms of insurance policies accessed through employment, and that an insurance office, while a public accommodation, was not accessed by Parker for this policy. A panel of the Sixth Circuit initially reversed on the Title III claim, but the case was reheard en banc.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit an employer from providing, and an insurance company from issuing, a long-term disability plan that contains different benefit durations for mental disabilities compared to physical disabilities?

No. The court affirmed the District Court’s grant of summary judgment for Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor i

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Legal Issue

Does Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit an employer from providing, and an insurance company from issuing, a long-term disability plan that contains different benefit durations for mental disabilities compared to physical disabilities?

Conclusion

This decision established in the Sixth Circuit that ADA Title III's protections Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliqu

Legal Rule

Title III of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12182(a), prohibits discrimination on Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proiden

Legal Analysis

The court, sitting en banc, reasoned that Title III of the ADA Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • Title III of the ADA does not regulate the content of
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nu

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