Miami Partner George Hooker and Associate Justin Bassett delivered an outstanding result in a recent first party property trial in Miami-Dade County, earning a complete defense verdict for their client, an insurance company. The two-day trial centered on allegations from Plaintiffs that Hurricane Ian caused significant roof damage, leading to interior water intrusion.
The Plaintiffs relied on expert testimony to assert that no other weather event, outside of the policy period, could have caused the reported damage. However, Mr. Hooker and Mr. Bassett countered this narrative by demonstrating that, within a few years surrounding the alleged loss, there were 36 notable weather events in the area, many with wind speeds equal to or exceeding those associated with Hurricane Ian in Miami.
The defense also highlighted that the loss was reported to the carrier as hurricane-related only at the urging of the Plaintiff’s public adjuster, over a year after the supposed date of loss. This crucial detail cast significant doubt on the legitimacy of the claims.
Although in-house counsel had come close to settling the matter during mediation, which would have resulted in a substantial financial payout, the client instead chose to proceed to trial with the CSK team. The strategic decision paid dividends: after just 17 minutes of deliberation, the jury found in favor of the Defendant.
Special recognition goes to Associate Blake Miller, Legal Assistant Jackie Rodriguez, and Paralegal Tammy Wolfe, whose dedication before and during the trial contributed significantly to the positive outcome.
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