Montana Law Week

The Weekly Digest of Montana Law

Archives for 2021

$8 million settlement, $2 million fees, medical insurance

By

SETTLEMENT: $8 million, national class action short-term medical insurance case with 28,767 policyholders alleging use of Data iSight software to discount medical charges to below what was promised in the policies… settlement approved by Watters following final approval hearing including Class Counsel’s requested $2 million fees and $30,729.76 litigation expenses… Class Representative’s individual non-class claims settled for $900,000 new money in addition to $75,000 paid during litigation. [Read more…]

Settlements

By

Plan I

Vernon Pieske, left hand, 12/17, Weyerhaeuser, Columbia Falls, Weyerhaeuser accepted liability, paid all benefits due & owing, disputes as to wage loss, nature & extent of injury, need for future treatment, $96,000 for all claims, stipulated judgment; Garry Seaman for Pieske, Charlie Smith for Weyerhaeuser NR [Read more…]

Insurance, defend/indemnify State for Libby asbestos

By

INSURANCE: Insurer correctly held to have breached duty to defend State for injury/death claims resulting from Libby asbestos… rulings that led to $97,833,193.93 judgment against insurer upheld except as to qualifying “occurrences” and coverage for claimants exposed to asbestos prior to policy period… Holly Brown affirmed, reversed. [Read more…]

PFMA, “sharp practice” “set trap,” strangulation denial

By

PFMA: Prosecutor engaged in “sharp practice” to “set the trap” to bring in undisclosed former girlfriend who was sitting in courtroom as rebuttal to professional band member’s denial of ever strangling anyone… testimony was error but jury saw through State’s tactics and not grounds for reversal as it did not arouse the jury’s hostility such that there is a possibility that Defendant was convicted on anything other than the permissible evidence… conviction affirmed… Vannatta affirmed. [Read more…]