( December 9, 2021, 1:25 PM EST) -- PORTLAND, Ore. — After applying a “higher degree of skepticism” as instructed by the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, an Oregon federal judge on Nov. 29 determined that a disability insurer abused its discretion in denying a claim for long-term disability (LTD) benefits because the insurer ignored evidence showing that the claimant remain disabled....