One of the most difficult and confusing issues to deal with in the world of homeowner’s insurance property claims is the obligation to repair or replace an insured’s damage property with “material of like kind and quality” or with “similar material.” When damage caused by fire, smoke, water, hail, or other causes results in a…
The ability of a workers’ compensation carrier to subrogate against and/or seek reimbursement from a recovery made from a third-party tortfeasor responsible for causing the employee’s work-related injuries is universally recognized across the country as a major tool for holding down workers’ compensation premiums for large and small businesses and employers. Whether or not this…
On October 16, 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court in Torres v. JAI Dining Services (Phoenix), Inc., ruled that the Arizona constitution does not protect common law dram shop actions, and thus, the legislature, by enacting a statutory dram shop claim, eliminated the then-existing common law dram shop cause of action.[1] This means that in order…
Most of us don’t give much thought to contaminated gasoline and the tremendous property damage it can cause to vehicle engines and other equipment. But when an insurance company must pay out tens of thousands of dollars as a result of tainted fuel, all thoughts must immediately turn to subrogation. One question which precedes any…
Understanding spoliation has become an increasingly integral and important aspect of effective subrogation efforts. Without the necessary evidence and investigation required for a subrogated insurance company to meet its burden of proving the origin and cause of a fire or that a product was defective, subrogation will fail. Spoliation has become one of the most…
Texas is by far the biggest producer of hay in the United States; with Missouri and Nebraska a distant second and third. Feeding livestock is the number one use of hay, as almost any animal on a farm or ranch (horses, cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) will eat hay. It is usually fed to livestock when…
For the last ten years MWL has self-published and distributed its book entitled “Where’s The Beef?: Subrogating Livestock/Vehicle Collisions in All 50 States.” Recently, the firm has partnered with its legal treatise publisher, Juris Publishers, Inc. in New York, to publish, market, and distribute the latest edition of the book. It has been retitled “Where’s…
One of the most successful weapons trial lawyers have discovered in combatting subrogation across the country has been the Made Whole Doctrine. It requires an insured to be fully compensated for damages (i.e., to be “made whole”) before the insurer is entitled to recover in subrogation from the at-fault third party tortfeasor. This “equitable” rule…
What Happened The island of Maui, Hawaii was the unfortunate victim to catastrophic wildfires on August 8, 2023. Sources and authorities say that throughout the day and night of August 8, several brush fires were ignited all over the island of Maui including the towns of Lahaina, Kula and in upcountry Maui. The climate conditions…
Most states now have mandatory car insurance laws that require all drivers to have some type of insurance. New Hampshire is the last of the 50 states which does not require mandatory automobile liability insurance. Wisconsin was second to last, but as of June 1, 2010, Wisconsin now mandates that drivers purchase auto liability insurance.…