These small independent claims adjusters are absolutely the worst. I just hung up with an adjuster from Love, Barnes & McKew (or LBM Insurance Adjusters) who does rent-an-adjuster work in “the Washington-Baltimore Corridor, Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.” Nonsensical Offer Why I send a demand package to…
You’re killing me, Flo. If you are a car accident lawyer in Maryland, Progressive Insurance claims present challenges we do not have with other insurers. To get a fair offer, you almost always have to file a lawsuit that we should never have had had to file. Why I Dislike…
Our plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyers frequently receive calls from defendants who have been involved in auto accidents who do not understand why they are being sued by an insurance company because of an auto accident they had that was not their fault. Most people involved in an auto accident in…
The Fourth Circuit decided a case that addresses an interesting insurance law question; while also touching on another issue that vexes medical malpractice lawyers in Maryland. The 4th Circuit overruled a great judge, Federal Magistrate Jillyn K. Schulze, who awarded summary judgment against a suspended surgeon for making a disability…
I have taught insurance law for the last 17 years at the University of Baltimore Law School. I think it is important to explain both the hornbook majority view and Maryland law. Typically, what I’m saying is that the majority view is this balanced, reasonable law… and then there is…
It’s been a bit since I’ve written about how awful insurance companies’ first settlement offers are in serious injury cases. But I’m sure I’ve given a client the speech in the last 24 hours. I do it all the time. The primary reason the first offer is usually far from…
An adjuster with Selective Insurance called this week to ask to meet at my office to discuss the settlement of a personal injury car accident case. She said that Selective is looking to meet with counsel as much as possible to discuss these claims. Selective is a regionally based insurance…
I just hung up with an Allstate adjuster. At-fault carrier (Safeco) put up 50,000 so we turn to the UM carrier for the additional $50,000. She offers $2,500 on top of the $50,000. She said something to the effect of, “There is only $50,000 left so what incentive do we…
As I mentioned last week, I’m pretty excited about our law firm’s win in Buckley v. Brethren Mutual. I think this is an important case for two reasons. First, it shows that the Maryland Court of Special Appeals respects the actual intent of Maryland’s statutory scheme for uninsured motorist claims.…
Sometimes it is easy to miss the federal court opinions that involve car crash cases because you just do not expect to see them there. Probably 1% of the car accident cases that we handle end up in federal court – although probably 20% of our truck accident cases get removed…