Posted On: June 24, 2009, 9:39 am CDT

Posted By: pockets of the consumer 62%

In past court cases, judges have chastised and even fined State Farm for withholding records the company was ordered to produce. Evidence the company destroyed documents has been presented in several cases.

In the Oklahoma case, after State Farm finally turned over to the court a "claims legal research" DVD and other records, Judge Richard G. Van Dyck told company attorneys

"As I was watching these tapes I just want to say this for the record, the hair on the back of my neck did -- did stand up because I was seeing things there that early on in this case I was told by (State Farm) defense counsel didn't exist and couldn't be produced. So I'm not real happy with that and I want to remind all counsel that their ethical responsibilities as attorneys outweigh the wishes of their clients."

Gary T. Fye, an expert in the analysis of disputed insurance claims who lives in Nevada, often testifies in insurance cases. Fye, who said he has testified on behalf of policyholders and insurance companies, has provided the courts information on State Farm's history of destroying and withholding records.
reaching deep into the pockets of the consumer