Articles by Jim Sams

Sams is editor of ClaimsJournal.com, the online resource and daily newsletter for property/casualty insurance claims professionals. ClaimsJournal is a member of the Wells Media Group. Sams can be reached at jsams@wellsmedia.com

Property Restoration Industry: A Culture in Need of Repair?

Jatiek Smith, a Bloods gang member convicted on extortion and racketeering charges in New York, blamed ruthless competition and a culture of violence in the fire restoration industry for the accusations made against him by federal prosecutors. Smith was a …

Iowa Court Upholds Decision to Bar Late Expert Reports in Work Comp Case

The Iowa Supreme Court reinstated a deputy workers’ compensation commissioner’s decision to bar reports that were submitted too late by experts who weren’t certified, reversing decisions by the district court and Court of Appeals. The high court said in a …

Insurer Blocked From Rescinding Policy After Fire Claim Due to ‘Extra’ Apartment

New York City housing is often jammed into tight spaces. Old houses are carved into several apartments. Not all of them are legal. Alexi Home Design’s property in the Bronx had two official residences on the main floor and an …

Class Action Numbers Dip in 2023, but Settlements Still Costing Billions

Class-action and government enforcement lawsuits continued to take a toll on corporate defendants in 2023, with ten $1 billion settlements and a total cost of $51.3 billion, according to a report released Tuesday by the DuaneMorris law firm. The total …

Iowa Supreme Court Upholds Decision to Bar Late Expert Reports in Workers’ Comp Case

The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday reinstated a deputy workers’ compensation commissioner’s decision to bar reports that were submitted too late by experts who weren’t certified, reversing decisions by the district court and Court of Appeals. The high court said …

Florida Bad-Faith Suit Survives Even Though Policy Limits Paid and Sinkhole Excluded

Just because an insurer paid the full policy limits on a claim, and argues that the damages weren’t even covered, doesn’t mean it can escape a bad-faith lawsuit. It’s the type of court decision that has rankled Florida insurance carriers …

Former MMA Attorney Suspended; Texas Judge Approves Temporary Restraining Order Against Law Firm

A former attorney for McClenny Moseley & Associates, who was accused of dishonesty while participating in his law firm’s filing of hundreds of hurricane-damage lawsuits, agreed last month to a nine-month suspension of his law license in a settlement with …

Ohio Supreme Court Affirms 4-Year Deadline for Med Mal Wrongful Death Claims

A divided Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday drew a bright line around the state’s statute of repose for medical malpractice claims, ruling in separate cases that an absolute four-year deadline to bring an action applies to both wrongful death claims …

Appraisal Isn’t Arbitration, Alabama High Court Says in Dismissing Insurer Appeal

A petition to invoke appraisal is not the same thing as a motion to compel arbitration, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday. The high court dismissed an appeal by Great American Insurance Co. that sought to overturn a trial court’s …

Illinois Appeals Court Rules Exclusion Bars BIPA Claims

An Illinois appellate court decided Tuesday that a general liability insurance policy sold to a Waukegan packaging company clearly excluded coverage for violations of the state Biometric Information Privacy Act, saying a federal appellate court decision to the contrary was …