Articles by Jim Sams

Sams is editor of ClaimsJournal.com, the online resource and daily newsletter for property/casualty insurance claims professionals. ClaimsJournal is a member of the Wells Media Group. Sams can be reached at jsams@wellsmedia.com

Embattled Louisiana Law Firm Raised $40M from Florida Hedge Fund, Partner Says

McClenny Moseley & Associates, the embattled law firm that filed thousands of hurricane-damage lawsuits in Louisiana, raised a total of $40 million from private investors, one of its founding partners said during a court hearing on Tuesday. Zachary Moseley provided …

Attorneys in MMA Case Argue Punishment Disproportionate, Seek Fair Treatment

Three former attorneys for the McClenny Moseley & Associates are urging a judge to lift a nine-month suspension that bars them from practicing in the federal Western District of Louisiana and pin blame for the law firm’s ethical issues on …

Texas Court Rejects ‘Fishing Expedition’ Discovery Request to Home Depot

A Texas appellate court threw out a trial court order that approved a plaintiff’s overly broad discovery request in an employee’s personal injury lawsuit against Home Depot. A panel of the 9th Court of Appeals in Beaumont vacated a judge’s …

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Litigation Financing

In insurance defense attorney Dennis Kass’ world, litigation financing firms lurk behind the scenes, pushing plaintiffs to undergo as much treatment as possible so lawyers can maximize the value of claims. “In a lot of ways, the plaintiffs become pawns …

La. Insurers Ordered to Still Communicate With MMA Policyholders

A day after the Louisiana Supreme Court announced that it is lifting a stay on hurricane-damage lawsuits filed by McClenny Moseley & Associates, Insurance Commissioner James Donelon in late July issued a directive warning insurers not to use a letter …

WCRI: Inflation Not a Big Deal for Workers’ Comp, Yet

While fast-rising prices in the past year drove up claim costs for auto and property insurers, inflation has been a more ho-hum affair for the workers’ compensation line and health care in general, according to a new report by the …

Skanska Must Face the Music: Maritime Law Does Not Protect it from Fla. Storm Claims

A construction company whose barges came loose from their moorings during Hurricane Sally and damaged the Pensacola Bay Bridge will have to cope with some 900 claims by businesses and other parties that say they suffered economic damages while the …

Michigan Supreme Court: No-Fault Changes Are Not Retroactive

Amendments to Michigan’s no-fault law passed by the state legislature in 2019 do not allow auto insurers to cut fees or limit hours of attendant care provided to auto accident victims who were injured before the changes took effect, the …

Former Attorneys for McClenny Moseley & Associates Seek to Lift Suspension in Western District of Louisiana

Former attorneys for McClenny Moseley & Associates hope to persuade a federal judge to lift a suspension that prevents them from practicing in the Western District of Louisiana, including one young lawyer who says he had been practicing law less …

Pennsylvania High Court Rejects Damages Cap in Insurance Agency Poaching Case

A jury’s $2.8 million punitive damage award against an insurance agency and broker that tried to poach a competitor’s staff and book of business was not excessive even though it was more than 10 times the amount of compensatory damages, …