Peterson & Bradford, LLP
100 North First Street
Suite 300
Burbank, CA 91502-1845
Tel: (818) 562-5800
Fax: (818) 562-5810 |
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There has been an explosion in tort litigation in the last two decades, and to a large degree insurance companies have been asked to pay the cost. In response, carriers have found they have an ever-increasing need for prompt and effective coverage advice. Insurers can use this advice to assess their obligations to their policyholders, to protect themselves against often spurious claims of “bad faith,” and to distribute fairly those risks they share with other carriers.
New coverage issues arise daily from claims in substantive areas as diverse as environmental pollution, intellectual property protection, advertising injury, construction defects and exposure to toxic mold. At the same time, the courts constantly wrestle with more arcane issues such as the trigger of coverage, the number of occurrences, the identity of insureds under a given policy, the priority of policies, the limits of coverage, and the allocation of loss between co-insurers.
Peterson & Bradford’s experienced team of coverage attorneys assists clients throughout the claim process. Besides rendering coverage opinions, we act as trial counsel in complex coverage litigation, and often assist our carrier clients in the mediation and settlement of claims against their insureds. It is our practice to monitor “problem” cases, and file or defend declaratory relief actions when appropriate. We frequently play an integral role in disposing of coverage disputes through various forms of alternative dispute resolution, which is often the best way of achieving a favorable and cost-effective result. We also represent our insurance company clients in contribution actions against other carriers that have avoided their fair share of the cost of defending or settling covered claims.
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