Insurance Bad Faith Cases

• Author: Larry Booth/Roger Booth
• Pages: 505-530

16 -1 (Rev. 2, 11/13)

Chapter 16

INSURANCE BAD FAITH

CASES

I. ELEMENTS OF CAUSE OF ACTION AND DEFENSES

A. Theories of Liability

§16:01 Insurance Bad Faith Defined

§16:02 Theories of Recovery

§16:03 Breach of Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing

§16:04 State Statutes Regulating Claims Practices

§16:05 Fraud

§16:06 Difference Between First-Party and Third-Party Claims

§16:07 Activities That May Constitute Bad Faith

§16:08 Elements and Level of Conduct Required

§16:09 Separate Attorneys

B. Damages

§16:20 Common Law Tort Action

§16:21 Common Law Breach of Contract

§16:22 Statutory Action

C. Issues for Specific Types of Insurance

§16:30 Disability Insurance Cases

§16:31 Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist

D. Defenses and Defense Strategies

§16:40 Plaintiff’s Hidden Medical History

§16:41 Defenses Checklist

§16:42 Expiration of Statute of Limitations

§16:43 Comparative Bad Faith

§16:44 ERISA Preemption

II. INTERVIEW AND INVESTIGATION

§16:50 Form: Interview Questions for Plaintiff; Insurance Bad Faith

§16:51 Detailed Review of File and Discovery in Underlying Case

§16:52 Investigating the Client

Personal Injury Handbook 16-2

§16:53 Use of Insurance Company “Inside” Manuals and Procedures

§16:54 Survey of Similar Cases Against This Carrier

§16:55 Deep Throat Former Employees

III. PLEADINGS

§16:70 Form: Complaint for Bad Faith; Third-Party Action

§16:71 Form: Complaint for Bad Faith; First-Party Action

§16:72 Staying Out of Federal Court

IV. PLAINTIFF’S WRITTEN DISCOVERY

§16:80 General Information About Plaintiff’s Written Discovery

§16:81 Form: Plaintiff’s Interrogatories to Defendant Carrier; Insurance Bad Faith

§16:82 Form: Plaintiff’s Requests to Produce to Defendant Carrier; Insurance Bad Faith

§16:83 Form: Plaintiff’s Requests for Admissions to Defendant Carrier; Insurance Bad Faith

V. DEPOSITIONS

§16:90 Whom to Depose

§16:91 Deposition of Insurance Adjusters

§16:92 Deposition of Defense Bad Faith Expert

§16:93 Preparation for Insurer’s Deposition of Plaintiff

§16:94 Preparation for Insurer’s Deposition of Plaintiff’s Bad Faith Expert

VI. MOTIONS

§16:100 Motion to Obtain Internal Documents

§16:101 Defense Motion to Obtain Underlying Plaintiff’s File

VII. SETTLEMENT STRATEGIES

§16:110 High-Low Deals and Their Pitfalls

§16:111 Mediation

§16:112 Form: Mediation Brief; Denial of Disability Benefits

VIII. TRIAL PREPARATION

A. In General

§16:120 Exhibits: Multiple Blow-Ups of Important Documents

§16:121 Necessity to Prove Pervasive Practice

§16:122 Order of Witnesses

§16:123 Organization of Documents a Critical Necessity

B. Jury Selection

§16:130 Voir Dire

§16:131 Jurors to Avoid

C. Opening Statement and Closing Argument

§16:150 Opening Statement Outline

§16:151 Closing Argument