Peterson & Bradford, LLP
100 North First Street
Suite 300
Burbank, CA 91502-1845
Tel: (818) 562-5800
Fax: (818) 562-5810 |
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There has been an explosion in tort litigation
in the last two decades, and to a large degree insurance companies
have been asked to pay the cost. In response, carriers have
found they have an ever-increasing need for prompt and effective
coverage advice. Insurers can use this advice to assess their
obligations to their policyholders, to protect themselves
against often spurious claims of "bad faith," and
to distribute fairly those risks they share with other carriers.
New coverage issues arise daily from claims in substantive areas as diverse as environmental pollution, intellectual property protection, advertising injury, construction defects and exposure to toxic mold. At the same time, the courts constantly wrestle with more arcane issues such as the trigger of coverage, the number of occurrences, the identity of insureds under a given policy, the priority of policies, the limits of coverage, and the allocation of loss between co-insurers.
Peterson & Bradford's experienced team of coverage attorneys
assists clients throughout the claim process. Besides rendering
coverage opinions, we act as trial counsel in complex coverage
litigation, and often assist our carrier clients in the mediation
and settlement of claims against their insureds. It is our
practice to monitor problem cases, and file or defend declaratory
relief actions when appropriate. We frequently play an integral
role in disposing of coverage disputes through various forms
of alternative dispute resolution, which is often the best
way of achieving a favorable and cost-effective result. We
also represent our insurance company clients in contribution
actions against other carriers that have avoided their fair
share of the cost of defending or settling covered claims.
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