When an automobile is damaged in an accident and then repaired, the resale value may be less than a comparable automobile that has not been damaged. In other words, the damage results in a reduction or “diminution” in the resale value of the automobile. An insured’s claim for this reduction in value may be made…
One of the most heavily contested types of subrogation cases we encounter involves recovery of the reasonable cost of repairs performed in-house by a commercial fleet, trucking company, auto dealership, or rental car company whose vehicle has been damaged due to the negligence of a negligent third party. The liability carrier for the tortfeasor frequently…
Insurance policy deductibles and subrogation make strange bedfellows. Most property and automobile insurance policies require that the insured pay a deductible—an out-of-pocket payment the insured is required to pay toward a covered loss before the insurance company kicks in with its own claim dollars. Some policies allow the insured to select a deductible, with the…
Most insurance claims professionals understand that, as opposed to uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which pays damages to an insured who is involved in an accident with an uninsured driver, underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage is automobile insurance coverage which protects an insured involved in an accident with a tortfeasor who doesn’t have liability limits sufficient to…
By ChatGPT (artificial intelligence chatbot) Foreward By Gary L. Wickert Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by computers or machines, as opposed to actual human intelligence. According to the current system of classification, there are actually four types of AI: reactive, limited memory, theory of mind, and self-aware. For many of us,…
On March 23, 2023, the Florida Senate passed a sweeping tort reform bill known as HB 837. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis the very next day and becomes effective immediately. Some elements of the new bill will apply to all causes of action filed on or after March 24, 2023,…
Matthew Grieder joined MWL recently as a new litigation associate with the firm’s Austin branch office, and is licensed to practice law in Texas. Matt will be handling automobile, maritime, property and casualty, and workers’ compensation subrogation cases throughout Texas and the South Central states of Oklahoma and New Mexico. Matt graduated undergraduate from the…
Automobile rentals is a $29 billion industry and constitutes a significant portion of the transport sector in America. In 2018, there were 2,212,925 rental vehicles on U.S roads. There are six million auto accidents in the U.S. every year, and rental cars are involved in a significant portion of those accidents. To make matters worse,…
MTDB Corp. v. Am. Auto Ins. Co., 2022 WL 18012348 (Ill. App. 1st Dist. 2022) Some might say that subrogation and insurance coverage make strange bedfellows. But understanding the basics of insurance coverage is integral to an aggressive and holistic approach to subrogation across all lines of insurance. Without coverage there is no claim payment;…
Trial lawyers are filing bad faith class action suits against insurance companies across the country in rapid fashion based on alleged wrongful depreciation of labor costs in their calculation of Actual Cash Value (ACV) in property loss claims. They smell blood in the water given the turmoil and lack of clear guidance from state to…