Attorneys Renew Request for Katrina Class-Action Suit

By Jennifer Griffith

Published on January 19, 2007

Judy Guice of Ocean Springs, Mississippi is one of many State Farm policyholders whose home was turned into a slab during Katrina. Her attorneys are seeking immediate payment of policy limits to all relevant policy holders based on a ruling given by Judge L.T. Senter in the Biloxi suit.

Last week, Senter, who is presiding over Katrina suits, established that employees of State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. had wrongly denied claims since they had not shown that storm surges caused the damage. Storm surges are excluded from coverage in the State Farm policy.

Senter ordered State Farm to pay policy limits on the claims.

The jury in the case also awarded Biloxi policyholders $2.5 million in punitive damages, finding that State Farm employees were guilty of gross negligence.

In addition to the requesting permission to file a class action suit, Guice’s attorneys are also asking that policy holders be able to file individual suits against State Farm for punitive damages, loss of the use of their money, and emotional distress.

Senter has yet to respond to the request made by Guice’s attorneys.

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