Pilot Life Insurance Company v. Dedeaux

Everate Dedeaux (plaintiff) received long-term disability benefits through his employer Entex's plan, administered by Pilot Life Insurance Company (defendant), but Pilot repeatedly terminated and reinstated his benefits over several years before Dedeaux sued asserting only state common-law claims, including bad faith, without invoking ERISA itself. Pilot moved for summary judgment arguing ERISA preempted these state claims; the district court agreed, but the Fifth Circuit reversed, and the Supreme Court granted certiorari.