A house divided Walter and Yasmin Gonzales owned a house that was insured under a homeowners policy issued by People’s Trust Insurance Company. The policy contained a Preferred Contractor Endorsement stating that, in exchange for a reduced premium and in lieu of paying cash to the insured, the insurer was allowed to send its own contractors to assess and repair the insured property. On September 10, 2017, the Gonzalez property
Court Decisions
Fair pay for expert witnesses On February 15, 2013, William Precht Jr. was applying herbicide to an agriculture field using an aircraft owned by Riceland Aviation, Inc. Adjacent to the field was a guyed tower owned by GTP Infrastructure, LLC, which was not equipped with any visibility-enhancing markers. Precht could not see the unmarked guy wires and struck a wire with the aircraft. The wire strike caused the total loss
No joy for UIM claimant On August 9, 2016, Llon Mark Lagarde was involved in an accident in New Orleans. He filed suit against the driver, Ibraham Abukhdeir, Abukdheir’s insurer, GEICO Indemnity Company, and Liberty Personal Insurance Company, as his provider of uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI). Lagarde settled his claims with Abukhdeir and GEICO for the policy limits, leaving Liberty as the only remaining defendant. Lagarde filed a
Bad hair day Pro’s Choice Beauty Care, Inc., purchased commercial general liability insurance from Great Northern Insurance Company. Nonparty Bumble and Bumble commenced an action against Pro’s Choice to recover damages and for injunctive relief based on trademark infringement. Pro’s Choice tendered notice of the action to Great Northern, and the insurer disclaimed coverage. Pro’s Choice ultimately settled the trademark infringement action. Pro’s Choice commenced an action against Great Northern
Walkin’ blues Stevie Howard, a pedestrian, was injured outside a T-Mobile/Metro PCS store property. In April 2018, Howard filed a complaint alleging several counts of negligence against T-Mobile USA d/b/a MetroPCS (“T-Mobile”), and two other defendants. T-Mobile was covered by a liability policy issued by Greenwich Insurance Company. Howard filed his second amended complaint in October 2018, adding for the first time one count against Greenwich for breach of contract,
