A. Claims and Appeal Procedure

The Plan contains a claims and appeal procedure that must be followed. Be sure to read the procedure carefully before filing a claim or a lawsuit involving the Plan, the Board of Trustees or the Trust Fund. The purpose of the claims procedure is to make it possible for claims and disputes to be resolved fairly and efficiently without necessitating costly litigation and attorneys' fees. The Plan provides that no lawsuit may be brought unless the Plan's appeal procedure is followed first.