SAKG Obtains Defense Verdict in Law Enforcement Retirement Benefits Appeal

On April 21, 2020, Brent Coverdale and Michele Sutton achieved a defense verdict for a local law enforcement agency after a bench trial in Jackson County Circuit Court. The plaintiff was a former police officer who challenged the decision that his disability-related retirement be considered non-duty rather than a disability caused by the performance of his job. The case involved the interpretation of state retirement statutes and the agency’s scope of review, and presented a novel question regarding the consideration the agency must accord to the opinion of a claimant’s medical expert. The SAKG team successfully defeated claims that the agency failed to follow the statutory scheme and the statutory procedures for disability retirement benefits.

Brent Coverdale

Michele Sutton