Landmark Case Results
SETTLEMENT
$575 MILLION
Anti-Trust class action litigation against Sutter Health
$575 MILLION
This landmark case involved anti-competitive practices by Sutter Health including overcharging insurance, denying customers access to lower-priced health care, and other systematic abuses of insureds. Pillsbury & Coleman LLP served as lead counsel for a class of plaintiffs and achieved a landmark settlement of over half-a-billion dollars for California insureds.
SETTLEMENT
$40,000,000
Homeowners Association against multiple insurance carriers
$40,000,000
This challenging case involved a resort that was burned down by a North Bay fire in 2020. Nothing was left, but rubble. The insurance carriers responsible for paying for the rebuild of the resort claimed that there was insufficient insurance coverage relying on a policy exclusion. We sued the carriers and successfully secured the full value of the insurance policies for our client.
SETTLEMENT
$40,000,000
Company against insurance carrier for fire damage to manufacturing facility
$40,000,000
We represented a large food company whose manufacturing facility burned to the ground. Our client wanted to build a new state- of-the-art facility at a different location. We successfully negotiated with the insurance company to ensure full payment of the policy limits to fund the rebuild.
SETTLEMENT
$35,000,000
People against insurance carrier for failure to defend
$35,000,000
This matter involved a catastrophic injury resulting from a tree trimming accident. Our client filed a lawsuit against the tree trimmer responsible for his injury, but their insurance carrier refused to defend the action leaving no possibility of recovery for our client. So after the judgment, we pivoted and sued the tree trimmer’s insurance carrier for its wrongful refusal to defend to recover the full value of our client’s injuries.
JURY VERDICT
$32,000,000
Disability insurance action against UnumProvident
$32,000,000
This is the largest disability insurance verdict in Marin County. We represented an eye surgeon who was no longer able to perform surgery. His insurance carrier, UnumProvident, denied his disability claim. Following a months-long trial, the jury found that our client was totally disabled and awarded him full disability benefits, as well as emotional distress and punitive damages.
SETTLEMENT
$30,000,000
People against insurance carrier for construction defects
$30,000,000
We represented a public entity against its insurance carrier following an atmospheric river that resulted in catastrophic water damage to the client’s buildings and facilities. We negotiated a resolution with the insurance carrier that helped remedy the water damage and fund a full restoration of those buildings and facilities.
JURY VERDICT
$26,500,000
Failure to defend action against the Travelers Insurance Company
$26.5 MILLION
Pillsbury & Coleman LLP obtained one of the largest punitive damage verdicts in Alameda County against Travelers Insurance Company. Our client owned an auto repair shop on Oakland and was sued for environmental damage to the premises. Travelers refused to defend him against these claims. At trial, we proved that Travelers had intentionally mismanaged his claim to deprive him of insurance protection.
SETTLEMENT
$13,000,000
People against insurance carrier for failure to defend
$13,000,000
Our client’s insurance carrier wrongfully refused to defend it against a lawsuit, and our client did not have the money to defend itself. That’s when we stepped in. And, after judgment was rendered against our client, we successfully filed suit against the insurance company to protect our client and recover the full amount of the judgment.
SETTLEMENT
$12,000,000
People against insurance carrier for failure to defend
$12,000,000
Our client suffered a catastrophic injury at a construction site in Murphys, California. He sued the general contractor, but its insurance company refused to defend the action claiming that the general contractor was not an additional insured. The action proceeded to judgment. We then sued the insurance carrier to recover the full amount of the judgment and secured just compensation for our client’s injuries.
SETTLEMENT
$11,000,000
People against insurance carrier for failure to defend
$11,000,000
This matter involved a shooting at a warehouse in San Leandro. Our client, who was seriously injured, sued the owner of the warehouse, but its insurance carrier refused to defend the action. The matter proceeded to a judgment. We then sued the insurance carrier to satisfy the judgment and recovered substantial compensation for our client’s horrific injuries.
SETTLEMENT
$11,000,000
Hotel against insurance carrier for property damage and delay in completion
$11,000,000
We represented a hotel owner to recover repair costs and business interruption losses resulting from a substantial water loss. We worked closely with our client’s property insurance carriers to secure full recovery for these damages.
SETTLEMENT
$9,000,000
People against insurance carrier for failure to defend
$9,000,000
This matter involved a construction site injury in San Francisco. Our client sued the contractor responsible for his injury, however, its insurance carrier refused to defend the action. The matter proceeded to judgment. We subsequently sued the insurance carrier to satisfy the judgment and recovered just compensation for our client’s injuries.
SETTLEMENT
$8,000,000
People against long-term care insurer
$8,000,000
We represented an elderly client suffering from Alzheimer’s who was denied long-term care benefits by her insurance carrier. The carrier unfairly downplayed the severity of her condition claiming she was no longer chronically ill and did not require supervision. We successfully sued the insurance carrier and recovered a settlement that allowed the client to remain at her long-term care facility where she felt safe and protected.
SETTLEMENT
$8,000,000
Company against insurance carrier for fire loss
$8,000,000
We represented a client whose San Francisco apartment building burned down. The insurance carrier refused to pay the full policy limits claiming that a lower limit applied pursuant to a policy endorsement. We successfully argued that the endorsement should be stricken from the policy resulting in a higher policy limit.
SETTLEMENT
$6,000,000
People against long-term care insurer
$6,000,000
We represented a client with schizophrenia against her long-term care insurance carrier who rescinded her policy and refused to pay for her assisted living facility. We successfully sued the insurance carrier and secured her full benefits, which allowed her to continue to live safely at her assisted living facility.
SETTLEMENT
$5,000,000
Hotel against insurance carrier for delay in completion
$5,000,000
We represented a hotel developer against its insurance carrier who refused to pay for business interruption losses following an atmospheric river that significantly delayed the project. We sued the carrier and successfully recovered the delay in completion damages suffered by our client.
CYBER INSURANCE
$5,000,000
Technology company recovery of damages resulting from a cyber incident
$5,000,000
We represented a technology company who suffered damages resulting from a digital platform responsible for processing health insurance claims. We successfully negotiated the claim with the insurance carriers and obtained full benefits for our client.
We work hard to protect our clients against insurance companies. If a case cannot be settled, our experienced trial attorneys know how to translate a complex set of facts into a compelling argument that can persuade a jury. In many insurance bad faith lawsuits we are successful in recovering attorneys’ fees for our clients as well. To discuss your insurance-related concern, contact Pillsbury & Coleman, LLP. From offices in San Francisco, we represent clients throughout California and across the nation.