Search
 

What's Going On: The Other Shoe Drops in Mississippi

NORMAN and Genevieve Broussard are among the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people in coastal Mississippi who returned to their homes following Hurricane Katrina and found nothing but a foundation. When they filed a claim with their insurer, State

By George F. Williams | Updated on February 26, 2007

NORMAN and Genevieve Broussard are among the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people in coastal Mississippi who returned to their homes following Hurricane Katrina and found nothing but a foundation. When they filed a claim with their insurer, State Farm, they were told they were out of luck because the loss was caused by storm surge, an excluded peril.

The Broussards decided to get a lawyer and take the matter to court. Last month, Judge L.T. Senter Jr., who sits on the Federal District Court for Southern Mississippi, ruled for them big time. Not only did he issue a directed verdict against the carrier requiring it to pay the entire dwelling and contents loss, which came to $232,292, but he also allowed a jury that had been hearing the evidence to consider the Broussards’ claim for punitive damages. Within hours, the jury awarded them $2.5 million.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Recommended Stories

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.