Unreasonable Denial of Coverage or Benefits Required for IFCA Acceptance
William Earle Keith M. Liguori All agree that Washington’s Insurance Fair Conduct Act (“IFCA”) mandates that a court to grant attorney fees and allows the court to award triple damages if an insurer acts unreasonably in denying a claim for coverage or payment of benefits.
Oregon Supreme Court Reaffirms Broad Duty to Defend
Chris Parker The Oregon Supreme Court released its opinion in West Hills Dev. Co. v. Chartis Claims, Inc., 360 Or 650 (2016). As reported in our May 2, 2016 blog post, this is an insurance coverage case in which the Court of Appeals recognized a broad duty to …
Jury Trial Successfully Proves 75 Percent of Fault Rests With Settled-Out Vehicle Manufacturer
May 2016: Shareholder Christopher Drotzmann, in a four-day jury trial on a single vehicle motor vehicle accident, successfully proved that 75 percent of fault rested with the settled-out vehicle manufacturer for a defective stop lam switch.
Four-Day Jury Trial Results in Successful Jury Award
June 2016: Shareholder Christopher Drotzmann received a jury award less than claimed medical expenses in a four-day jury trial in Clark County, Washington, on an admitted liability motor vehicle accident.