Truck Insurance v. La Patisserie, et al. (Ariz. 2019) – Obtained successful jury verdict defending an insurance agent in a professional negligence action. The plaintiff bakery business failed and was liquidated after manufacturing contaminated bread distributed to a nationwide grocery retailer. The bakery alleged that the agent failed to offer a product recall endorsement on a commercial product manufacturing policy, which would have allegedly provided sufficient coverage to save the business from failing. After a three-week trial, the bakery prayed for $70 million in damages (incl. those alleged against carrier). The jury awarded the bakery only $2,616.80 on the agent negligence claim, representing the value the bakery later paid in premium to retroactively purchase the recall endorsement, and including a reduction due to the jury also finding the bakery was partially at fault for not obtaining the coverage.
Donald Myles focuses his practice on defending clients in cases involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims, bad faith and extra-contractual liability, professional liability, and insurance coverage.
Ashley Villaverde Halvorson’s practice focuses on defending insurance company clients in bad faith litigation, providing insurance coverage advice, and defending general personal injury and wrongful death actions.