Insurance Coverage/Bad Faith Denial of Insurance Benefits for Prosthetic Limb Beck v. Blue Cross — Confidential Pre-suit settlement (California 2009)

Insurance Bad Faith

Conal Doyle was co-lead counsel in a claim against Anthem Blue Cross of California for denial of prosthetic benefits to a 19 year old man who lost his leg to cancer. Owen Beck’s prosthetist and physician recommended a microprocessor knee prosthesis (C-Leg), but Blue Cross, maintained that the C-leg, on the market in the United States since 1999, was “experimental and investigational” and thus denied the benefit, and withheld that decision on appeal. Mr. Beck pursued damages for the cost of the benefit, emotional distress, and punitive damages. The case was resolved after pre-suit demand. Blue Cross insisted that the terms of the pre-suit settlement be confidential. Conal Doyle donated a portion of his time on the case to Public Justice, as a pro bono contribution.