PRACTICE AREAS
INSURANCE BAD FAITH
"Bad Faith" is a term describing blatantly unfair conduct that exceeds mere negligence by an insurance company. For example, a bad faith claim may arise if an auto liability insurer arbitrarily refuses to settle a claim within policy limits, where an insured's liability is incontrovertible. Bad faith damages, also known as extracontractual damages, are often substantial. They frequently exceed the limits of the insurance policy that is the subject of the claim.
TED COLQUETT
INSURANCE FRAUD AND COVERAGE
"Fraud" is deception or artifice used to cheat or intentionally mislead. This is closely related to misrepresentation and concealment. Proof of fraudulent acts by an insured in procuring insurance may lead to a denial of coverage and voiding of the policy by the insurer. As a loss exposure, certain types of fraud can be insured by a commercial crime insurance policy.
BAR ADMISSIONS
Admitted Alabama State Bar
Admitted United States District Courts in Alabama
Admitted 11th Circuit United States Court of Appeals
Admitted United States Supreme Court
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS
CCP: Certified Claims Professional in EC Claims
ACP: Advanced Claims Professional
CLMP: Certified Litigation Management Professional
THE CLM, A MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTES 2009-2020
Insurance "coverage" refers to the amount of risk or liability that is covered for an individual or entity by way of insurance services. The most common types of insurance coverage include auto insurance, life insurance, and homeowners insurance. Coverage litigation concerns whether a particular occurrence or accident is legally covered by a given insurance policy.
COVID-19 LITIGATION
COVID-19 is one of many types of human coronaviruses that may cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. This particular illness spread throughout the world beginning in 2019. Insurance claims seeking coverage for damages as a result of the virus have been made under many different lines of insurance including, for example, commercial property, workers compensation, commercial liability, event cancellation, and travel insurance.
CIVIL LITIGATION
Civil litigation is the process in which civil matters are resolved in a court of law. Civil matters can be described as situations dealing with relationships between people or a contract dispute between corporations. Rather than a case being a person versus the government, as in a criminal matter, civil cases are an individual or business filing suit against another individual or business.
We represent individuals and businesses in a wide variety of litigation disputes including personal injuries, contract law, employment issues, auto and commercial motor vehicle accidents, construction defects, product defects, and premises liability.
National Chair, Extra-Contractual Claims Committee
National Chair, Annual New York EC Conference
National Dean, School of Extra-Contractual Claims
Instructor, National Claims College
Speaker, National Annual Conferences
Speaker, National EC Committee Claims Conferences
Speaker, Live Standards Training
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
The CLM, a Member of the Institutes
ACI National Symposiums on Bad Faith Litigation
ACI National Symposium Controlling Litigation Costs
ABA Tort & Insurance Section Annual Conference
CEU Institute Programs
CLM Webinar: Institutional Bad Faith
CLM Webinar: Issues in COVID-19 Insurance Claims
Society of Claim Law Associates Annual Conference
Windstorm Insurance Network Annual Conference
Claims Magazine Annual ACE Conference
National Business Institute Seminars
University of Alabama Law School CLE
PUBLICATIONS
Alabama Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Law
Avoiding Bad Faith: The Insured in the Claims Process
Medical Fraud and Abuse for the Claims Professional
Comprehensive Alabama Law Summary
Bad Faith and UM/UIM
Insurance Ethics in Settling Personal Injury Claims
The Soft Tissue Injury Case: Defense Strategies
Changes in Liability Limits/Mandatory Coverage
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Issues
Cooperation in Non-Standard Insurance Relationships
Strategies in Commercial Motor Vehicle Litigation
Building Damage Issues in Windstorm Events
Engineering Firms and Outcome-Oriented Reports
Bad Faith and the Expert: Disarming the Bomb
EDUCATION
Auburn University
Samford University Cumberland School of Law
Litigation Management Institute Columbia Law School
CLM National Claims College