Our Coverage Practice Focuses on Policyholder Representation
With a combined 60 years of experience representing commercial insureds across a wide range of industries on virtually every type of coverage issue, our attorneys provide policyholders knowledgeable and straightforward legal advice.
RECENT SUCCESS
- Obtained substantial defense-cost reimbursement–after the insurer denied any liability–for one of the country’s largest school districts without having to resort to litigation
- Settled lawsuit through early mediation for a fire loss under a commercial property policy, including elements of equipment repair, temporary operating expenses and business interruption losses
- After prevailing on appeal of a threshold related-claims coverage issue, successfully settled an E&P client’s securities-claim litigation
- Coverage counsel to a Fortune 100 company in one of the largest insurer-funded shareholder-derivative lawsuits to date
- Prevailed on summary judgment for oilfield service company on the legal meaning of “loss of hole” in a commercial general liability policy
INSURANCE EXPERIENCE
Hurricane and Flooding Claims
- Counseled Texas Medical Center hospitals and teaching institutions in recovering insured losses after Tropical Storm Allison.
- Represented the Alley Theatre against its insurer for water damage claims arising from Tropical Storm Allison
- Litigated Control of Well and Making Wells Safe claims for offshore properties damaged by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina
- Litigated Removal of Wreck claims against the London insurance market after Hurricane Rita damaged offshore platforms.
- Represented an E&P company after Hurricane Ike destroyed offshore property; helped negotiate settlements with tiered domestic and international insurance structure and litigated disputed claims to a successful conclusion
- Counseled commercial policyholders through business interruption and contingent business interruption claims arising from property damage and orders of civil authority.
Securities, D&O
- Represented public company in seeking coverage for reimbursement of a settlement for securities claims under directors’ and officers’ policy.
- Counseled Fortune 100 company in one of the largest insurer-funded derivative claim settlements to date.
- Represented Fortune 500 energy company in fidelity insurance claim resulting from computer-based theft.
- Resolved coverage dispute under CGL and D&O policies arising out of a judgment, involving issues of wrongful termination, intentional conduct, concurrent causation, notice and allocation of loss between policies.
Property Damage and Oil & Gas Claims
- Litigated claims for well bore damage through Underground Resources endorsement.
- Helped policyholders with business interruption and contingent business interruption claims in quantifying losses and guiding submission for payment under first-party policies.
- Worked collaboratively with plaintiff’s counsel and insurance company’s counsel to settle commercial property damage claim arising out of flooring installation.
- Assisted in-house risk management with the settlement of an international boiler & machinery claim involving complex issues of causation.
- Represented international industrial services company in pollution liability coverage litigation.
- Resolved property damage and business interruption claims arising out of radioactive contamination.
Personal Injury
- Coordinated coverage between multiple parties and insurers with conflicting indemnity language in Master Services Agreements.
- Identified historical policies for client faced with long-tail personal injury claims and worked with brokers to maintain consistency in handling claims.
General Liability
- Successfully obtained summary judgments on insurers’ duty to defend with reimbursement of defense costs in property damage, personal injury and environmental claims.
- Resolved coverage dispute under homeowner’s policy for alleged damage to neighbor’s property.
- Litigated coverage issues between a major oil field services company and several excess insurers arising out of an adverse judgment; issues included concurrent causation and underground resources exclusions.
- Counseled oilfield services company on right of reimbursement from insurer for defense costs, penalties and court costs taxed against insured