Litigation:  Insurance Coverage & Policyholder Rights

Experienced legal help when your insurer denies coverage on a business claim

Your company deserves a fair recovery for insured losses.  Understanding the scope of insurance coverage for complex business claims, however, can be mind-numbing.  The practical advisors of DRM's Insurance Coverage Group have the necessary experience and resources to challenge and resolve loss and liability claims. 

We advise business and individual clients on the scope of their insurance coverage and how to maximize their insurance recovery.  We understand such claims, because we also advise insurers on the scope of coverage provided under business policies. Our experience includes negotiating and litigating issues involving claims for costs of defense and indemnity insurance recovery for:

• environmental/pollution damage and toxic torts
• property damage
• professional liability
• construction losses
• advertising and personal injury
• copyright or trademark infringement
• equipment failure
• directors and officers liability

and for a number of other claims.  We also have extensive experience working with captive insurers and risk retention groups, and have handled captive insurers’ coverage disputes with reinsurers.

Not Just in Vermont

Our seasoned insurance attorneys defend and prosecute declaratory judgment lawsuits, bad faith actions, contract and extra-contractual recovery claims. We determine coverage questions with reference to the laws of  all states.  Representative matters for policyholders include litigation across the US, including claims for coverage for:

• environmental liability in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont
• fuel dealer carbon monoxide poisoning in Connecticut
• trademark infringement in Utah
• a crane loss from a hurricane in Puerto Rico
• a multiple automobile fatality in New Jersey
• toxic tort in Utah
• patent infringement/personal injury coverage in Washington State
• gradual property damage leading to catastrophic electrical transformer losses in Vermont
• barge sinking in the Great Lakes
• damage to aquaculture facility in Maine by fuel spill
• trademark infringement in New York
• a mass nuisance action based on noxious odors at a Connecticut agricultural facility
• a lawsuit in Connecticut for alleged copyright infringement in Georgia
• cross insurer for auto accident in California
• sale of infected trout to a Vermont aquaculture facility
• a gasoline explosion and resulting deaths in Connecticut
• construction defects in Vermont

While our insurance coverage team predominately represents policyholders, they along with the insurance defense group also work with traditional and captive insurance carriers, and each group draws on the expertise of the other and the numerous other experienced litigators in the firm to advise on issues and staff larger cases. 

Practical and Proactive Advice to Limit Exposure

For clients who want to curb their exposure to expensive and resource-draining claims, our attorneys can assist with proactive advice on the scope of insurance coverage, payment of claims, bad-faith claims handling and  coverage questions under a variety of policy forms and with reference to varying state laws.

Contact Us

For assistance with an insurance coverage matter please contact Bruce Palmer at 802-748-8324 or Brad Fawley at 802-258-3070.