North Carolina Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Bars and Restaurants in Landmark COVID-19 Insurance Claim

Raleigh, North Carolina — In a landmark decision, the North Carolina Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of 15 local bars and restaurants in a dispute over COVID-19 insurance coverage with Cincinnati Insurance Company. This unanimous decision underscored the broad interpretation of “direct physical loss” under commercial property insurance policies, including losses stemming from government-mandated shutdowns due to the pandemic. The case, centered around North State Deli and 14 other businesses, has been closely watched for its potential implications on similar insurance disputes nationwide. The court’s interpretation extends coverage to encompass temporary closures and usage … Read more

Louisiana Supreme Court Upholds Historic $10.75 Million Award for Baton Rouge Truck Driver Injured in 2018 Crash

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Supreme Court has reinstated a substantial award for Frank Cushenberry, a truck driver left partially disabled from a 2018 accident, after a prior decision significantly reduced his compensation. This legal turnaround restores over $10 million to Cushenberry and increases his family’s compensation for loss of consortium to more than $2 million. Cushenberry, employed by Capitol City Produce of Baton Rouge, encountered disaster while maneuvering his box truck on Interstate 10 in LaPlace on March 27, 2018. An incident with a contractor’s pickup truck, under the employment of Barber Brothers … Read more

Michigan Supreme Court Revives Lawsuit in Tragic Snowmobile Crash Involving State Employee

LANSING, Mich. — A lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, involving a catastrophic encounter between a snowmobiler and a department employee, will move forward, the Michigan Supreme Court has ruled. The lawsuit originates from a 2018 incident in the Upper Peninsula which resulted in serious injuries and a fatality. Mark Goss, the snowmobiler, filed the lawsuit after suffering severe injuries from the accident which included burns, multiple broken bones, and a traumatic brain injury. The incident occurred when a DNR employee, operating an ATV, allegedly ran through a stop sign leading to a … Read more

Hawaii Supreme Court Upholds Election Results, Rejects Maui Candidate’s Signature Dispute Claim

Honolulu, Hawaii — The Hawaii Supreme Court recently handed down a ruling that upheld the general election results for a Maui County Council seat, dismissing a challenge by candidate Kelly King. King, who lost her bid for the council position last month by a narrow margin of 97 votes, had contested the legitimacy of the election process. In her lawsuit, King argued that an excessive number of ballots were improperly discarded due to issues with signatures being missing or deemed invalid. She claimed that the voters affected were not provided adequate assistance to rectify these … Read more