Subrogating against uninsured drivers is one of the less glamorous aspects of automobile insurance subrogation. It is the pariah of our industry and could easily be featured on the Discovery Channel series, Dirty Jobs. Initiating subrogation against uninsured and judgment-proof drivers is often nothing more than an exercise in futility, and frequently involves nothing more…
For those who are not aware, in 2013, Claims Journal’s online magazine asked Gary Wickert to begin a new monthly column focusing on subrogation and related claims and insurance topics. Gary’s column entitled “The Road To Recovery” can be found HERE. The column was very well-received and provides subrogation with a very widely-read medium in…
The recent riots in Ferguson, Missouri have resulted in property damage in excess of $5 million, and the total is climbing. However, these riots don’t even come close to the $1.2 billion in damages during the costliest civil disorder in history, the 1992 Los Angeles riots which resulted from the acquittal of four Los Angeles…
Many of our readers know how frustrating it can be to secure a judgment against a tortfeasor company only to see that company close down. However, an increasingly common scenario sees that same “company” resurrect itself as a new company shortly afterwards. Normally, the law protects successor corporations from the liabilities of its predecessors, and…
While Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. (MWL) attorneys are actively pursuing subrogation and reimbursement claims around the country for health insurers and plans alike, we are increasingly being asked to defend clients from out-of-network lawsuits by providers. These out-of-network or “usual, customary and reasonable charges” cases are not novel. In recent memory, these claims have…
An Indiana Court of Appeals decision issued on October 28, 2014 changes the landscape of landlord/tenant subrogation in the Hoosier State. For years, Indiana allowed an insurer to bring a subrogation claim against a tenant. LBM Realty, LLC v. Mannia, 981 N.E.2d 569 (Ind. App. 2012). A 1996 Court of Appeals decision appeared to announce…
On June 16, 2014, a Virginia man was pulled over by the police for running a red light while driving in a funeral procession. As a result, R.G. Spinner missed his great-grandmother’s burial. The Alexandria police officer pulled behind Spinner with his red and blue emergency lights flashing after witnessing him drive through a red…
Many of our clients are members of Arbitration Forums, Inc. (AF), a nonprofit, private arbitration organization that facilitates arbitration hearings between its members. Companies can be a part of a number of different programs, including arbitrating property damage disputes. By joining AF, a member company signs a Property Subrogation Arbitration Agreement (Property Program). The signatory…
Intersection accidents represent a disproportionate share of vehicle crashes and, therefore, a disproportionate share of litigated cases. Credible witnesses are the key to winning cases, but credible witnesses are rare, can be cross-examined, and are often reluctant to cooperate. The growing ubiquitous presence of red-light cameras and traffic surveillance are beginning to serve as rock-solid…
A new Texas Supreme Court decision in Chapman Custom Homes, Inc. v. Dallas Plumbing Co., 2014 WL 4116839 (Tex. 2014) narrows the stranglehold of the Economic Loss Doctrine (ELD) and states that the ELD precludes recovery in tort for economic losses resulting from a party’s failure to perform under a contract when the harm consists…