Insurance

  • December 13, 2024

    Aetna Analyst Says She Was Forced Out Over ADD Disability

    Health insurer Aetna was hit with a disability discrimination lawsuit in Georgia federal court by a former data analyst who said she was forced out of her job by regular harassment from her supervisor over her attention deficit disorder.

  • December 13, 2024

    Philadelphia Eagles Can't Revive COVID-19 Coverage Suit

    A Pennsylvania federal judge refused to reconsider the Philadelphia Eagles' bid for COVID-19 loss coverage Friday, saying that although the football team thought it "made a clean pass for coverage," there would be no touchdowns scored against its insurer in court.

  • December 13, 2024

    Retirees Say Lumber Co.'s $1.5B Pension Transfer Upped Risk

    A wood product manufacturer violated federal benefits law when it transferred $1.5 billion of pension obligations to a private equity-backed insurance company, substantially increasing the risk that retirees will see their benefits slashed, according to a proposed class action filed in federal court.

  • December 13, 2024

    NC Justices Topple Insurer Victory In COVID Coverage Battle

    The North Carolina Supreme Court handed policyholders a rare win Friday in their bid to get property insurance coverage for their pandemic-related business interruption losses, unanimously finding that the insuring phrase "direct physical loss" included the loss of use of property due to COVID-19 public health orders.

  • December 13, 2024

    Construction Co. Fights Stay In Small Biz Qui Tam Suit

    The owners of a construction firm accused in a whistleblower suit of defrauding a program for disadvantaged small businesses objected to a request to delay the suit while the Eleventh Circuit considers the appeal of another suit that resulted in a controversial decision deeming the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act unconstitutional.

  • December 13, 2024

    UnitedHealth To Pay $69M In Suit Over 401(k) Fund Roster

    UnitedHealth Group has agreed to pay $69 million to settle a class action claiming it included low-performing investment options in its 401(k) plan to preserve its business relationship with Wells Fargo, according to a filing Friday in Minnesota federal court.

  • December 12, 2024

    Insurer Owes Defense In Faulty Landscaping Row, Court Told

    A contractor facing claims it did faulty irrigation and landscaping work told a Florida federal court that its commercial general liability insurer must defend it, saying while the insurer declined additional insured coverage to the underlying claimant, it still hasn't communicated a coverage position with the contractor.

  • December 12, 2024

    USAA Inks $3.25M Data Breach Deal With 22K Customers

    More than 22,000 USAA customers have asked a New York federal judge to grant preliminary approval to a $3.2 million settlement to resolve a proposed class action alleging the company's security failures in its online insurance quote system allowed cybercriminals to open fraudulent memberships.

  • December 12, 2024

    Insurer Must Defend Texas Oilfield Against Burned Worker

    An insurer must continue to defend an oilfield services company in a suit brought by a severely burned worker seeking over $1 million for his injuries, a Texas federal court ruled, finding nothing in his short complaint triggered exclusions.

  • December 12, 2024

    Insurer Seeks Exit From $1.35M Wire Loss Dispute

    A broker accused of negligently causing a buyer to lose roughly $1.35 million in a business acquisition because of a wrong email address should receive no coverage, its insurer told an Arizona federal court, citing three separate exclusions in the broker's business owners liability policy.

  • December 12, 2024

    Wash. Justices OK Tax Break For Pharmacy Benefits Manager

    A Washington pharmacy benefits manager is exempt from a state business tax on its services for Medicaid patients because its corporate sibling paid premium taxes in connection with the same services, the state's high court affirmed Thursday.

  • December 12, 2024

    Hartford Needn't Defend Contractor In Workplace Injury Suit

    A Hartford unit has no duty to defend an electrical contractor against an employee's workplace injury suit, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Thursday, saying the underlying negligence- and intent-based claims don't fall within the scope of a workers' compensation and employers' liability policy.

  • December 11, 2024

    High Court Urged To Take Up Web Scraping Trade Secret Spat

    An insurance agent is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up his challenge to an Eleventh Circuit ruling reviving software company Compulife's copyright claim against him, saying the high court should resolve an issue surrounding web scrapes of public information.

  • December 11, 2024

    Ex-Rep. TJ Cox Reaches Plea Deal On Fraud Charges

    Former U.S. Rep. T.J. Cox reached a deal with California federal prosecutors and agreed to plead guilty to two charges and pay up to a $3.5 million fine over allegations he stole from his companies and took illegal campaign contributions, according to a plea agreement filed Wednesday. 

  • December 11, 2024

    Law Firm Manager Gets Prison For Bribes In No-Fault Scam

    A Manhattan federal judge on Wednesday hit a former law firm manager with a five-year prison sentence for paying $800,000 in bribes that fueled a $70 million no-fault automobile insurance fraud racket, saying his lawbreaking "was massive in scope."

  • December 11, 2024

    Embattled Texas Law Firm Heading To Mediation In Ch. 11

    Troubled Houston law firm MMA Law said it will engage in mediation with litigation funders Equal Access Justice Fund LP and creditors to try to sort out issues pertaining to the firm's bankruptcy plan and other matters, days after Equal Access escaped a class action involving MMA Law.

  • December 11, 2024

    ​​​​​​​6th Circ. Probes Rationale For State Farm Worker's Firing

    The Sixth Circuit grappled Wednesday with whether to reopen a former State Farm employee's suit alleging she was illegally fired after counseling a colleague about a disability accommodation complaint, with one judge questioning if the insurer had looked into the worker's claim that she faced selective discipline.

  • December 11, 2024

    Dutch Duo Beats Insurer's Claims Of Poor Greenhouse Design

    Neither a Dutch greenhouse builder nor designer were responsible for the failure of a Michigan produce farm's $14.1 million greenhouse, a federal judge ruled, granting an early win to the pair in an insurer's subrogation suit seeking coverage for a storm loss.

  • December 11, 2024

    Insurer Seeks $900K For Conn. Dehumidifier Fire Damages

    An insurer said it is entitled to recover over $900,000 from a dehumidifier manufacturer and its subsidiaries for costs the carrier incurred in covering a policyholder's house fire, telling a Connecticut federal court that the manufacturer's product was defective and unreasonably dangerous.

  • December 11, 2024

    Class Seeks Final OK Of Contentious $147.5M Insurance Deal

    A class of insurance policyholders has urged a Connecticut federal judge to give his final blessing to a $147.5 million settlement resolving claims that two insurers overcharged when deducting costs from savings accounts attached to universal life insurance plans.

  • December 11, 2024

    Liberty Mutual Accused Of Stalling On $21M Loss Claims

    The owners of a Massachusetts metal recycling plant that was severely damaged in an explosion last year say Liberty Mutual is attempting to avoid a $20.8 million payout in part by claiming that the facility, ordered razed by the city of Springfield, could have been repaired instead.

  • December 11, 2024

    6 Firms Guide Nippon Life's $8.2B Resolution Life Acquisition

    Japanese life insurer Nippon Life said Wednesday that it has agreed to buy the remaining 77% stake in holding group Resolution Life that it does not already own for $8.2 billion.

  • December 10, 2024

    9th Circ Reverses Cert. In Widow's Allianz Life Insurance Suit

    A unanimous Ninth Circuit panel on Tuesday reversed a lower court decision granting class certification in a case claiming that Allianz LIfe Insurance didn't follow statutorily required notice provisions before denying life insurance claims, saying the lead plaintiff wasn't an adequate representative for the proposed class, among other concerns.

  • December 10, 2024

    Ohio Justices Undo Paint-Maker's Lead Paint Coverage Win

    Insurers for Sherwin-Williams Co. don't have to cover the paint-maker's portion of a $305 million settlement to abate lead paint in California homes, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, finding the payment does not qualify as damages under its commercial general liability policies.

  • December 10, 2024

    Insurer Eyes Dismissal Of Pot Co. Trulieve's Coverage Case

    An insurance company that is a unit of Berkshire Hathaway is arguing that it has no obligation to defend Trulieve Inc., which is being sued over a cannabis worker's death, urging a federal judge to toss the lawsuit brought by the largest medical marijuana operator in Florida.

Expert Analysis

  • With Precautions, AI Can Help With Suspicious Activity Filings

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    While artificial intelligence can enhance suspicious activity report processes, financial services firms should review applicable expectations and areas of deficiencies that can lead to enforcement actions before using AI to help write SARs, say attorneys at Jenner.

  • Series

    Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.

  • How D&O Coverage Can Aid Against Increased AI Scrutiny

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    The recent increase in regulatory enforcement and securities class actions stemming from corporate use of artificial intelligence should prompt companies to ensure that their directors and officers liability insurance coverage is appropriately tailored to AI-related risks, say attorneys at Reed Smith.

  • 3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less

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    Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.

  • 8 Tech Tips For Stress-Free Remote Depositions

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    Court reporter Kelly D’Amico shares practical strategies for attorneys to conduct remote depositions with ease and troubleshoot any issues that arise, as it seems deposition-by-Zoom is here to stay after the pandemic.

  • 6th Circ. Ruling Prevents Disability Insurer Overreach

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    The Sixth Circuit’s recent ruling in McEachin v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance offers disability insurance claimants guidance on how they might challenge misapplications of policy limitations for mental illness when a medical condition accounts for their disability, says Mark DeBofsky at DeBofsky Law.

  • Hurricane Coverage Ruling Clarifies Appraisal Scope In Fla.

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    In a case involving property insurance for hurricane damage, a Florida federal court recently enforced policy limits despite an appraisal award exceeding those limits, underscoring the boundaries between valuation and coverage — a distinction that provides valuable guidance for insurers handling post-catastrophe claims, says Tiffany Bustamante at Cozen O’Connor.

  • Navigating Decentralized Clinical Trials With FDA's Guidance

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    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recently finalized guidance on conducting decentralized clinical trials, while not legally binding, can serve as a road map for sponsors, investigators and others to ensure trial integrity and participant safety, say attorneys at Phillips Lytle.

  • 4 Ways Attorneys Can Emotionally Prepare For Trial

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    In the course of litigation, trial lawyers face a number of scenarios that can incite an emotional response, but formulating a mental game plan in advance of trial can help attorneys stay cool, calm and collected in the moment, says Rachel Lary at Lightfoot Franklin.

  • The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule

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    Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.

  • Presidential Campaign Errors Provide Lessons For Trial Attys

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    Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign employed numerous strategies that evidently didn’t land, and trial attorneys should take note, because voters and jurors are both decision-makers who are listening for how one’s case presentation would affect them personally, says Reuben Guttman at Guttman Buschner.

  • Series

    Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.

  • Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress

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    As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.

  • Next Steps In The $2.8B Blue Cross Payout To Providers

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    Healthcare providers deciding whether to participate in Blue Cross Blue Shield network's recent $2.8 billion antitrust class action settlement must weigh key recovery factors, including provider type and litigation cost, say attorneys at Hall Render.

  • So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?

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    Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.

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