Doe v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., 05 Civ. 2512(JLL)(D.N.J. July 14, 2006).

Riemer & Associates and its co-counsel in New Jersey have obtained a significant victory on behalf of individuals suffering from mental illness. In granting plaintiff's motion to use a fictitious name instead of his real name, the Court held:

"[T]here is substantial public interest in ensuring that cases like the Plaintiff's are adjudicated and the rights of mental illness sufferers are represented fairly and without the risk of stigmatization. However, this goal cannot be achieved if litigants suffering from mental illness are chilled from ever reaching the courthouse steps for fear of repercussions that would ensue if their condition was made public."

This lawsuit has been brought as a class action against Hartford on behalf of all individuals who suffer from Bipolar Disorder and who have had their disability benefits cutoff by operation of the policy's two-year limitation on mental and nervous disorders. We are asserting that Bipolar Disorder is a biologically based illness that does not come under the definition of mental illness in the policy.