The following excerpt is from BRETTELLE v. Life Ins. Co. of North America, 691 F. Supp.2d 1249 (S.D. Cal. 2010):
The parties agree that the standard of review is de novo. Under a de novo standard of review, the court looks to the terms of the plan and the evidence presented in the administrative record to determine whether a plaintiffs claim is covered under the policy. Opeta v. Northwest Airlines Pension Plan, 484 F.3d 1211, 1217 (9th Cir.2007). The parties generally agree that the administrative record before the court is fully developed such that no additional evidence is necessary to conduct an adequate review of the record.
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