Avoiding the risk of claims disputes and vigorously defending those that do occur is essential for survival in the insurance industry. Successful insurance defense requires a focus on risk avoidance, in-depth understanding of coverage issues and bad faith, and the ability to aggressively advocate on clients’ behalf. As the scope of federal, state, and local regulations continues to expand, and the interpretation of legal liability broadens, the practice of insurance law becomes more critical and complex. The attorneys of the Insurance Law and Litigation Group at Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote represent national insurance companies in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia and are poised to act thoughtfully and decisively on their behalf.

We represent clients in matters such as rights and duties between insurers; negligence claims; first-party litigation, including UM/UIM motorist claims, subrogation, and indemnity; and criminal negligence defense. Our services include:

Insurance Defense

We begin each case with a comprehensive review of the claim file and relevant case law. We take a dual approach to every case, developing an aggressive trial strategy while simultaneously striving to minimize the time and cost incurred as a result of the dispute. We avoid the courtroom when it is in the client’s best interests. Clients turn to us for every aspect of insurance defense — from defense of third-party claims to litigation of coverage disputes and defense of bad faith claims — especially when significant amounts are at stake.

Bad Faith

Bad faith claims have the potential to result in extra-contractual exposure, punitive damages, and even pattern and practice claims. We have represented insurers in hundreds of bad faith matters. As a result, we know how plaintiffs develop bad faith claims and what it takes to defend — and even prevent — bad faith disputes.

Coverage Issues

We understand coverage issues, the trends in such disputes, and how they must be addressed to minimize the risk of bad faith. Using this knowledge, we prepare defense strategies for our clients and provide coverage opinions to help them understand how they should adapt their practices to avoid potential disputes.

Claims Preparation Audits

Claims from bad faith and coverage issues begin and end with the claim file. Everything that goes into the claim file can become an essential piece of evidence in a lawsuit. Our core group of Insurance Law attorneys are trained to audit clients’ claims preparation procedures. These audits identify vulnerabilities, show clients their liabilities, and are the first step in improving claims practices and minimizing risk.

Claims Preparation Training

Proper claims preparation procedures offer the best opportunity to avoid bad faith and other insurance litigation matters. Our Firm advises claims departments on how to modify and improve their claims procedures. We work with claims staff to make sure they understand how claim files are used in court and demonstrate best practices for documentation, pointing out how to avoid common mistakes that plaintiffs use against insurers in court.

Specialty Coverage Issues

Our Group represents clients in specialty coverage areas, including railroad matters, maritime and aviation law, director and officer coverage, trucking claims and coverage issues, commercial coverage matters, product liability, and construction issues.

To learn more about the capabilities of the Insurance Law and Litigation Group, contact Robert J. Marino at 412-392-5220 or via email at rmarino@dmclaw.com.