Sanford Gerber

Partner

Arizona

   

sgerber@jshfirm.com
TEL: 602.263.1779
FAX: 602.200.7892
Legal Assistant: Melissa Vaughn
602.263.4562
mvaughn@jshfirm.com

Sanford Gerber concentrates his practice on bad faith and extra-contractual liability, insurance coverage and fraud, construction litigation, and wrongful death and personal injury litigation. Before he attended law school, Sandy played professional tennis.

Recent Case Success:

Obtained unanimous defense verdict for client, GEICO Automobile Insurance, in Newton v. GEICO.

Plaintiffs insured their 2007 Chrysler Pacifica with Defendant GEICO. Plaintiff was driving the Pacifica when the engine seized. The vehicle was found with only one quart of oil, which meant around 4 and ½ quarts of oil was gone. Plaintiff alleged the oil level had been checked a few days earlier and the level and color of oil on the dip stick were full and good. Plaintiff suspected that the oil had been drained by her ex-husband, an allegedly vengeful auto mechanic. The vehicle showed no signs of leaking or burning oil, and Plaintiffs allegedly discovered an oil stain on their driveway. As a result, Plaintiffs filed a vandalism claim with GEICO.

On behalf of their client, GEICO, JSH attorneys Sandy Gerber and Josh Snell investigated the claim and discovered that the Pacifica had been driven 8,582 miles since its last oil change. They ultimately determined that there was no coverage due to a failure by Plaintiff to properly maintain the vehicle. After a 6-day trial, the jury was out less than 30 minutes before returning a unanimous defense verdict.

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • State Bar of Arizona, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member

Professional Recognition & Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2021-2024; Insurance Law, Construction Law, 2023-2024; Litigation – Construction, 2024

Presentations & Publications

  • “How To Avoid the Hot Seat: Good Claims Handling in Arizona,” Presenter, JSH Annual Seminar: It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt, November 2014
  • “The Perfect Claims File,” Presenter, Arizona Security Directors Association, December 2013
  • “Reservation of Rights, Time Limits Demand and Damron and Morris,” Presenter, JSH Seminar, October 2013

Education

Whittier Law School, J.D., 1995
American Jurisprudence Award in Legal Skills II

University of California at Santa Barbara, B.A., Political Science & International Relations, 1991

Admissions

Arizona, 1995
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit