April 20, 2017 marked the 7th anniversary of the tragic BP Oil Spill. That event cost 11 men their lives, seriously injured dozens, and caused billions of dollars in economic damages to businesses along the Gulf Coast. But seven years later, the Gulf of Mexico is still hurting. Scientists at Virginia Tech University recently completed the [...]
Walking might still be the safest way to travel, but a new report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association shows that the risks have increased significantly. There has been an 11% increase nationwide in the number of pedestrian deaths from 2015 to 2016. This is the highest increase for a single year. Fatalities are [...]
As we have noted in previous posts, flood insurance policyholders have deadlines they must comply with to ensure full and fair payments from their insurance companies. These deadlines are critical — failure to meet them can result in denial of claims. One of the most critical deadlines is the deadline for the insured to provide [...]
“Warrior Dash” is a well-known race series that hosts extreme obstacle races throughout the United States. People obviously enjoy racing through the various obstacles and the spirit of camaraderie that permeates. That there is inherent risk of some danger is exhilarating. The recent “Warrior Dash” held in St. Francisville, however, exposed racers to an unacceptable risk not envisioned by the [...]
Recent victims of flooding in Louisiana need to be aware of some of the basic facts of flood insurance: Homeowner’s insurance does not typically cover flood damage. Flood damage is compensated from flood policies issued under the National Flood Insurance Program. The NFIP covers up to $250,000 for the structure of the home and $100,000 [...]
In 48 hours, the Baton Rouge area took in about 2 feet of rain. Watson, Louisiana saw more rainfall in a couple of days than Los Angeles has in four years. 40,000 homes have suffered flood damage. Those efforts led Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Add to remark, “
If you believed BP, you would think that Patrick Juneau, the court-appointed claims administrator, is passing out BP’s money to undeserving claimants willy-nilly. But the facts, as history has shown in this litigation, do not support BPs spin. The claims administrator just released his monthly report. Table 4 tells the tale of the tape. Table [...]
An important decision regarding the interplay between state insurance laws and ERISA is expected to be handed down soon by the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Methodist Hospitals of Dallas, et al (“Aetna”). Argument was heard on December 1, 2015 so a decision could be issued soon. [...]