Saturday, November 17, 2007

Madge, call the malpractice carrier, Mr. Jones is annoyed again


Wow, there would sure be a heck of a lotta phone calls if a lawyer had to call their malpractice carrier any time a client grumbled.


Hello? hey my client is mad because the court wouldn't grant us a continuance on a hearing.


Yo there, my client is annoyed because the court didn't suppress the search where they found the half ton of pot under the back seat of his car.


My client is crying because the court made her give back the engagement ring after she broke off the engagement.


Whatever.


Is Client's Gripe Cause to Notify Your Insurer?

Carrier sues to avoid coverage where lawyer didn't tell it a client had registered disappointment

A legal malpractice carrier is taking a hard line on the level of client grumbling that puts a lawyer on notice of a potential claim that must be reported.
The carrier's declaratory judgment suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Trenton, N.J., could cause sleepless nights for any lawyer who has ever had to deal with a client disappointed by the outcome of a case.
General Star National Ins. Co. says a lawyer's silence about a client’s displeasure over the size of a settlement offer in a wrongful-death case and her threat to consult with separate counsel was enough to void malpractice coverage.


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