8th Circuit Remands ERISA Plan Ruling To Decide If Collateral Estoppel Was Waived

Mealey's (March 24, 2016, 12:32 PM EDT) -- ST. PAUL, Minn. — An Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel on March 22 found that when a trial court issued judgment against benefits plans administrators’ claims brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act against Wells Fargo Bank N.A. based on a jury’s verdict related to non-ERISA plans, it “failed to consider whether the parties waived application of collateral estoppel,” leading it to vacate and remand for a determination of whether such waiver occurred (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, et al. v. Wells Fargo Bank N.A., No. 14-3457, 8th Cir.; 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 5198)....