Latest Liability Headlines
All the headlines from our Liability Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Massachusetts High Court Affirms Limit on Wrongful Death Suits in Tobacco Ruling
Jul 7 2023 // If a person’s right to bring a personal injury lawsuit has expired by the time of his or her death, the person’s estate is barred from bringing a wrongful death suit in Massachusetts for the benefit of the...
‘Ongoing Storm Rule’ Clears Costco of Liability for Customer’s Fall While Snow Falling
Jul 6 2023 // A New Jersey business is not liable for injuries suffered by a customer who falls in its snow-covered parking lot in the middle of a snowstorm, before the lot can be cleared. A Costco Wholesale store in North Plainfield,...
Fla. High Court: 2-Year Statute of Repose Applies, Even in Liability Insurance Suits
Jul 5 2023 // A Florida Supreme Court decision has put to rest some questions about whether a statute of limitations on lawsuits can be extended just because the insurance carrier is a party being sued. It cannot, the court held last...
Using Forklift to Tow Vehicle at Night Not Covered by Shop’s Liability Policy – MS Court
Jul 5 2023 // Using the boss’ forklift to tow a personal vehicle to a welding shop at night is not work-related and is not covered by a Penn-Star Insurance commercial liability policy, the Mississippi Supreme Court has...
Anti-Stacking Provision Limits Liability Coverage for Fatal Illinois School Bus Crash
Jul 3 2023 // An insurance policy that covered seven vehicles, each with a $1 million per-accident limit, doesn’t provide $7 million in liability coverage for a fatal crash that involved only one of the covered vehicles, an...
GEICO to Pay $805K to Settle Overtime Wage Disputes With Claims Adjusters
Jun 30 2023 // Insurer GEICO has agreed to pay $805,000 total to settle class action lawsuits by claims adjusters alleging they were entitled to unpaid wages for overtime worked between May 27, 2019 and May 27, 2022. The settlement...
Extreme Heat in Texas Raises Concerns of Power Grid Overload
Jun 28 2023 // AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – On another 100-degree day in Texas, Sean Whitaker lingered outside a Dallas cafe after polishing off an iced coffee, having switched off the power to everything back home except his...
Car Dealer Shielded From Liability in ‘Courtesy’ Car Accident
Jun 28 2023 // Massachusetts car dealerships that provide customers with a courtesy vehicle to use while their car is being repaired are protected by federal law from liability should the courtesy car be in an accident, despite a state...
Credit Ratings for New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal Downgraded
Jun 28 2023 // AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A-(Excellent) from A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “a-” (Excellent) from “a” (Excellent) of New York...
Construction-Defect Subrogation on the Rise But it Just Became More Difficult in Florida
Jun 27 2023 // Florida lawmakers this year approved a measure that could help reduce liability insurance premiums for home and condo builders – and limit exposure and litigation for liability insurers. But Senate Bill 360, which took...
Titanic Sub Victims’ Families Could Still Sue Despite Liability Waivers
Jun 23 2023 // Liability waivers signed by passengers on a submersible lost at sea during a dive to the Titanic wreck may not shield the vessel’s owner from potential lawsuits by the victims’ families, legal experts said. The...
Massachusetts Judge Rejects Auto Insurance Class Actions Over Diminished Value
Jun 23 2023 // A judge in Massachusetts has denied class certifications for claimants seeking payments from two insurers for the lost resale value of their motor vehicles that were damaged in accidents and then repaired. Suffolk County...
Texas Power Grid Operator Urges Power Conservation During Heat Wave
Jun 21 2023 // The Texas power grid operator urged homes and businesses to conserve electricity on Tuesday evening to prevent power reserves from falling short as consumers crank up their air conditioners to escape the first heat wave of...
7th Circuit: Insurer Must Defend Firm Sued for Selling Facial Recognition Program to Chicago Police
Jun 20 2023 // An ambiguous coverage exclusion prevents a liability insurer from dodging the cost of defending a data broker that was sued after selling the Chicago Police Department access to a facial recognition database that...
What Staffing Shortages Mean for Human Services Organizations
Jun 19 2023 // Human service organizations play a critical role in our communities, making an important difference for the populations they serve. With demand for their services higher than ever, many human services organizations are...
Should Insurance Drive Increased Firearm Safety?
Jun 19 2023 // It seems almost weekly there is a story or two in the national headlines addressing gun violence in the U.S., and a recent Insurance Journal article indicated respondents of a survey thought insurance could have a role in...
Subtle Problems with Extended Reporting Coverage — and Creative Solutions
Jun 19 2023 // For specialty line insurance policies such as directors and officers liability, professional liability, cyber liability etc., claims made insurance policies are the most common type of policy issued. They are complex, and...
Insurer Must Defend Firm Sued for Selling Facial Recognition Program to Police
Jun 16 2023 // An ambiguous coverage exclusion prevents a liability insurer from dodging the cost of defending a data broker that was sued after selling the Chicago Police Department access to a facial recognition database that...
New York Lawmakers Again Pass Wrongful Death Damages Bill. Is Another Veto in Store?
Jun 13 2023 // New York lawmakers have again overwhelmingly passed legislation to overhaul the state’s 1847 law that governs damages that can be awarded in wrongful death cases. But it’s unclear whether the latest version of...
Nashville Bar Damaged in 2020 Bombing Files Suit Against its Insurer
Jun 13 2023 // When a Tennessee man set off a bomb in downtown Nashville in 2020, it not only disrupted a peaceful Christmas morning in the city, it put some nearby establishments out of business for more than 30 months. The vehicle...
