STATE FARM WINS BAD FAITH TRIAL IN HOUSTON FEDERAL COURT

Last week, State Farm won a bad faith trial in Houston Federal Court in Vada De Jongh vs. State Farm Lloyds, CA No. 4:12-cv-03703.  De Jongh sued State Farm for property damage arising out of an April 2012 hail storm in Alvin, Texas.  State Farm determined the storm damage was less than the insured’s deductible and the insured subsequently sued her homeowner’s insurer and an adjuster for breach of contract, bad faith, Insurance Code violations and fraud in Brazoria County. State Farm removed the case to Federal District Court. Judge Lynn Hughes conducted a bench trial last week on all issues and, at the conclusion of trial, found no evidence to support Plaintiffs claims.  In the alternative, the Court found the costs to repair the existing conditions to be less than the deductible in the insured's policy with State Farm.

 [Editor'sNote: Chris Martin and Marilyn Cayce ofMDJWhad the privilege of trying this case for State Farm and they wish to thank the client team for the opportunity to do so.]