What lengths do think a large insurance company will go to in an effort to influence a judge? What about a judge that would later hear the appeal of a verdict against that insurance company? What about a verdict against that insurance company for $1 Billion? As someone who fights with insurance companies each and every day, I was not suprised to come across this story. In 2004, State Farm Insurance Company secretly contributed $2.4 - $4M to Judge Lloyd Karmeier in what was later discovered to be a calculated effort to influence the judge to reverse a $1 billion verdict against the insurance carrier.
When the Court reviewed a potential for bias, State Farm told the court that they had only contributed $350,000 to Judge Karmeier's campaign, a clear misrepresentation of the truth. In fact, they were several million short of what State Farm actually paid to the judge. Not having a full picture of the total exchange of cash, the court ultimately held that there would not be any bias. Well, that will likely change now that there is evidence of not only a material misrepresentation of fact, but one that has significant consequences.
In light of this evidence, several attorneys have filed a class action lawsuit against State Farm Insurance Company, alleging amongst other things, fraud. So what can we learn from this? First of all, all the people that are advocates for 'tort reform', need to understand that the insurance companies should not be afforded any more protections than they already have. Why limit what an injury victim can receive from an insurance company, when we continue to read stories about how insurance companies lie and obstruct justice. From the claims practices of Allstate to this recent story involving State Farm, the list goes on and on.
As a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, Missouri, I vow to protect the rights of injury victims each day, both in and out of the courtroom. Its a task I take seriously. As an accident lawyer, I stand up against these insurance companies each day, companies that have billions of dollars in assets and who will go to any length to win, no matter if that involves lying and unethical conduct. Its these kinds of stories that fuel me to continue that fight.
When the Court reviewed a potential for bias, State Farm told the court that they had only contributed $350,000 to Judge Karmeier's campaign, a clear misrepresentation of the truth. In fact, they were several million short of what State Farm actually paid to the judge. Not having a full picture of the total exchange of cash, the court ultimately held that there would not be any bias. Well, that will likely change now that there is evidence of not only a material misrepresentation of fact, but one that has significant consequences.
In light of this evidence, several attorneys have filed a class action lawsuit against State Farm Insurance Company, alleging amongst other things, fraud. So what can we learn from this? First of all, all the people that are advocates for 'tort reform', need to understand that the insurance companies should not be afforded any more protections than they already have. Why limit what an injury victim can receive from an insurance company, when we continue to read stories about how insurance companies lie and obstruct justice. From the claims practices of Allstate to this recent story involving State Farm, the list goes on and on.
As a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, Missouri, I vow to protect the rights of injury victims each day, both in and out of the courtroom. Its a task I take seriously. As an accident lawyer, I stand up against these insurance companies each day, companies that have billions of dollars in assets and who will go to any length to win, no matter if that involves lying and unethical conduct. Its these kinds of stories that fuel me to continue that fight.
