Torts & Insurance

Our coverage lawyers defend insurers in third-party claims involving virtually every area of insurance and are heard in local, state and national trial courts. In individual and class action or mass tort lawsuits, we offer effective defense against allegations of injury or damage involving product liability, environmental contamination, and toxic torts (including asbestos liability). We also defend insurers in coverage matters related to general premises liability, vehicular accidents, and construction and real estate claims. Finally, we defend against third-party allegations involving business disputes related to professional liability, trade secret disclosure, director and officer liability, product liability, and environmental liability.

Our firm helps corporate, business, and organizational insurance policyholders maximize and effectively manage their insurance coverage as a financial tool. When we represent you as a policyholder, our familiarity with how insurance companies underwrite, reinsure and evaluate risks and claims gives us particular insight into the coverage your policy entitles you to. We represent business policyholders in disputes involving the denial of insurance coverage for environmental liability, asbestos exposure, errors and omissions claims, and similar catastrophic liability issues.

Since these disputes often involve class action or mass tort litigation, we regularly reconcile your coverage needs with the settlement strategies carriers prefer and are adept at reconciling settlement strategies when multiple carriers are involved. Due to our success in class action litigation defense, particularly in securing denials of class certification, we are highly effective at resolving coverage disputes in these matters.

We also have experience in helping clients manage their own risk. Many employers use self-insurance to finance their group health care and workers’ compensation liabilities. Because we work with the plan’s various companies, we can advise you on the most effective options and strategies to utilize. If you choose to set up a captive insurance company to secure excess coverage for product liability and other claims, our lawyers will help you create the claims administration structure, secure regulatory approval, and allocate financial resources.

We understands the stakes in professional liability controversies. Even though much of our work comes to us on referral from malpractice insurance carriers who often remain involved in the case, our number one loyalty is to the health care providers, lawyers, realtors, insurance brokers, and registered representatives who are our clients. If you are a professional service provider who turns to us for help, you will find that our concern is not just for your case but also for protecting your livelihood and reputation.

Most professional malpractice actions do not go to trial, but we can walk you through the decision to try to settle using negotiation or alternative dispute resolution. Litigation often involves related actions before professional regulatory bodies, and our lawyers are experienced at proceedings involving the Office of Professional Conduct (lawyers), the State Medical Board (physicians), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (broker-dealers). If we can resolve the dispute through arbitration, we will craft the settlement that is most advantageous to you. If it is necessary to go to court, we will be vigorous advocates for you at trial and on appeal.