One of the most distressing things a businessperson can hear is the dreaded  "We've been sued." After the initial shock comes the question: "How do we  pay for this?" The next question should be "Does our insurance  cover it?", but too often this question is asked too late, or is put to  someone not qualified to answer it, such as defense counsel. Either can have serious consequences.

Even more distressing is the news that your liability insurer has denied coverage and refused to defend the suit.

Often - more often than you might think - the denial is wrong. Commercial liability insurance is very complex and some of the coverages are a lot broader than they look to one not familiar with them. A little expertise can make a big difference.

As an experienced insurance consultant and litigator I can help you understand your policies and how the courts have interpreted them and can advise you on the best course of action. A liability insurance coverage question, like a complex tax problem, is not something one should tackle alone.

--  Michael Mathews

“I solve problems.”

 

Michael A. Mathews is a “lawyer’s lawyer” who has for the past 25 years specialized in litigation, appeals and counseling on behalf of both policyholders and insurance companies in cases involving questions of insurance coverage. He has an insider’s knowledge of insurance companies, having served for many years as Coverage Counsel and Assistant Vice President of a major liability insurer. He is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of the insurance law of California and many other jurisdictions, and of the law of indemnity.  He is an expert with respect to all liability policies including:

·       Commercial General Liability (CGL)

·       Umbrella and Excess

·       Directors and Officers 

·       Errors and Omissions

·       Workers’ Compensation

·       Homeowners

·       Automobile

These include disputes arising out of litigation involving

·       construction defects

·       intellectual property

·       environmental liability

·       property damage

·       bodily injury

·       other commercial litigation

He has extensive experience as a litigator and has handled the appeals of many cases that resulted in published opinions in both the federal and state courts of California and other states. He is admitted to the bar of California and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.