Late Monday evening, March 2nd, the jury in the first trial in Hidalgo County from the 2012 hailstorm event delivered a unanimous verdict affirming that National Lloyds Insurance Company complied with all policy terms and met its duty of good faith and fair dealing. The jury found no wrong doing and awarded no payment to the plaintiff or their attorney. This was a very important verdict because this was the first case to be tried from the 2012 event.
As noted by Mark Hanna with the Insurance Council of Texas:
This is a big victory for insurance companies who respond quickly after storms, and resolve their policyholders’ claims fairly and promptly. This decision by the citizens of Hidalgo County was a loud and clear message that frivolous lawsuits from McAllen’s hailstorm won’t be tolerated.
Attached is the link to the Texas Hail Claims Bulletin, which provides a link to the jury’s verdict and an overview of the volume of litigation in Hidalgo. http://www.zelle.com/f-84.html
Doyen Sebesta & Poelma, LLLP is proud to have represented National Lloyds in this matter, with Scot Doyen serving as lead counsel. Doyen Sebesta & Poelma, LLLP has been given the opportunity to represent National Lloyds in venues across Texas. This is the third case in recent months in which the courts have ruled in National Lloyds’ favor related to other speculative lawsuits.
- In October 2014 the Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion finding that a plaintiff’s discovery demands were an “impermissible fishing expedition.” The claimant had sought production of all claims filed the previous six years involving two adjusting firms related to completely unrelated first-party claims.
- In November 2014 a jury in Jefferson County (Texas) District court cleared National Lloyds of any wrongdoing in a policy claim following Hurricane Ike in 2008, again awarding no damages to the plaintiff or attorney.
Mr. Doyen was assisted at trial by Al Roberts of Doyen Sebesta & Poelma, LLLP, Victor Rodriguez of Colvin, Chaney, Saenz & Rodriguez, Monica Wilkins of Orgain, Bell & Tucker, and Casey Low of Bracewell Guiliani.
