Los Angeles Superior Court (Trial/Settlement)

Los Angeles Superior Court (Trial/Settlement)
Result: $690,000

Irvine Trial Lawyer Gregory G. Brown of Orange County Law Firm of Brown & Charbonneau, LLP obtained a $690,000 settlement for their client on an Insurance Bad Faith Case against Farmers Insurance. Farmers had offered $175,000 before trial. Their client was a Farmers insured and had submitted three separate first party insurance claims on two separate pieces of property. During the claims process, Farmers delayed investigation on each claim, unreasonably processed each claim through the “Special Investigations Units”, and subjected their insured to unnecessary and repetitive investigations. Additionally, Farmers failed to promptly investigate the claims and failed to pay the amounts due on the contract portions of the claims. Mr. Brown contended that Farmer’s conduct was unreasonable and constituted Insurance Bad Faith.

The case went to trial in August of 2010, and the Plaintiff’s case was almost complete. Due to a recent filing of a class action lawsuit against Farmers for their handling of claims in the Station Fires, some jurors saw the news on television and heard it on the radio. The press was very negative to Farmers and a few of the jurors could not ignore this negative information. The jurors were released, which left fewer than 12 jurors. As a result, the Long Beach Trial Judge had to order a mistrial. A bad faith expert witness had testified already and had concluded that Farmer’s conduct was below the standard of care, was unreasonable and in some areas, outright malicious against their own insured!

Following trial, Farmers increased their $175,000 pre-trial offer to $690,000. The plaintiff had demanded $775,000 before trial began.

Mr. Brown is a partner in the Irvine Trial Law Firm of Brown & Charbonneau, LLP and specializes in complex business and trial matters. Gregory G. Brown is a Certified Trial Specialist and has been selected for inclusion by Super Lawyers for the last three years in a row (representing the top 5% of California Attorneys). Brown & Charbonneau, LLP is well known for being hard hitting, aggressive litigators and trial specialists. They practice business litigation, commercial litigation, real estate litigation, family law and personal injury litigation throughout Southern California.