Tag: Insurance Coverage

• Business Litigation

  Business Interruption Insurance and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

  • March 29, 2020
  • By Emile Joseph

  With the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana, the governor has ordered business in Louisiana to close or greatly reduce operations. Many business owners have obtained insurance in order to protect their companies from losses associated with business interruptions. This coverage may be something you specifically requested, or may be included as part of your broader […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  UM Rejection Forms – Requirements & Duration

  • March 15, 2017
  • By Brent Carriere

  Since UM coverage is presumed, nothing must be done if an insured wishes to have UM coverage matching liability limits. But, if the insured wishes to reject UM coverage, or select lower UM coverage, strict requirements must be met. If not, the presumption that UM coverage is provided remains.   According to the UM statute, the rejection […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  Adjusting Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Claims – Burden / Duties / Penalties

  • January 23, 2017
  • By Brent Carriere

  UM Plaintiff’s Burden of Proof When making a UM claim, the claimant has the initial burden of proof. To satisfy this burden, he must produce “sufficient facts” to the UM insurer that:   The adverse driver in the accident was uninsured or underinsured; The un/underinsured driver was at fault; Such fault gave rise to damages; […]

• Health Law

  Suit Filed Against Feds Over CMS Risk Adjustment Formula

  • September 12, 2016
  • By Allen & Gooch

  On July 29, 2016, Minuteman Health Inc. filed suit in Massachusetts against the federal government, naming, as defendants, the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the heads of both agencies.  The suit alleges that the risk adjustment formula used to calculate which insurance companies have […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  Invalid UM Selection Form May Supersede Previous Forms

  • May 11, 2016
  • By Allen & Gooch

  A recently decided First Circuit Case has held that an insurer may not “pick and choose” which UM Selection Form to enforce. In the particular case, the insurer first argued that a 2009 UM Selection Form precluded recovery under a UM Policy. It was ultimately determined that issues of fact remained as to whether UM […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  UM Rejection Forms – Little Traction Given to Consent Challenges by Insureds not Fluent in English

  • April 27, 2016
  • By Brent Carriere

  Recently, in Ponce v. Welch, 15-669 (La. App. 5 Cir. 3/16/16) 2016 WL 107-8579, Louisiana’s Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal upheld summary judgment in favor of an insurance company by denying a UM rejection form challenge of an insured claiming she did not understand the UM rejection agreement because she was not fluent in English.  […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  Drone Usage Integrated into Business Models

  • March 16, 2016
  • By Allen & Gooch

  With the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by the FAA for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones, in February 2015, many industries are poised to integrate this technology into their business models. Media attention has focused on the entertaining notions of Amazon and pizza deliveries, but other industries, specifically the energy and insurance […]

• General Liability

  Drone Regulations Up in the Air

  • March 7, 2016
  • By Allen & Gooch

  Unmanned airships (UAS) also known as drones are rapidly becoming a part of our daily lives in both the recreational and commercial context. In March, 2015, the FAA recently relaxed regulations, allowing additional exemptions to commercial uses for drones.  A party seeking commercial use can now more easily obtain a Section 333 exemption, which states […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  Claims made and reported provisions enforceable against injured third parties

  • October 1, 2014
  • By Allen & Gooch
  

  Many insurance policies include a provision known as a “claims made and reported” clause which indicates that a claim is only covered if the claim is reported to the insurer during the policy’s stated time limit. Because Louisiana is a Direct Action State, it was believed that this provision would not be enforced against an […]

• Insurance & Casualty Litigation

  No coverage for Accident Occurring During Crime

  • June 25, 2014
  • By Allen & Gooch
  

  Exclusion Covers Personal Injury Coverage for Accidents That Occur in Commission of a Crime In the recent decision of Trumps v. USAgencies Cas. Ins. Co., No. 14-25 2014 WL 1815376 (La. App. 3rd Cir. 5/7/214), the Third Circuit Court of Appeal for the State of Louisiana upheld an exclusion in automobile insurance policy which excluded […]