Category archive: Delaware
Range of Valuations Support Bad Faith Summary Judgment for Insurer
Summary: State Farm issued an uninsured motorist policy to Enrique with a $100,000 limit. Enrique was injured in an auto accident, sought UM benefits and also sought to recover bad faith damages. The bad faith portion of the case was stayed pending resolution of the UM claim which resulted in a jury verdict awarding $260,000….
Delaware Bad Faith Claims Accrue When Excess Judgment Becomes Final and Unappealable
Summary: State Farm rejected an injured car driver’s $35,000 offer to settle against State Farm’s insured who admitted negligence. The trial resulted in a judgment for nearly $225,000, well above the $100,000 per person limit. The Delaware trial court dismissed the resulting bad faith claim on statute of limitations grounds, relying on an earlier unpublished…
Predominant Individualized Damages Issues Require Decertification of Bad Faith PIP Benefits Class Action
Summary: Plaintiffs sued GEICO alleging it used arbitrary computer “rules” to determine personal injury protection (“PIP”) payments when a Delaware statute required GEICO to pay “reasonable and necessary” PIP benefits. The court initially certified classes to pursue counts for bad faith breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and…