Like many Eastern states, historically Maryland has not been a large producer of oil and gas. But that could change in the not so distant future. In the West, proponents of “fracking” are anxiously eying the new Hogan government to see what it will do while offshore, the Department of…
Maryland Business Litigation Lawyer Blog
The “Troll” – Malibu Media Continues to Sue and Scare Individuals
Over the law few months, we have been getting calls every week from Internet subscribers who think they’re about to lose their homes, their entire life savings, or in one particular instance, their freedom (one woman was terribly afraid that she and her husband were going to be sent to…
Cracking the Morse Code:When An Insurer Must Show Actual Prejudice
Courts across the country haven’t taken too kindly to insurers using technicalities or blaming their insureds to deny coverage and Maryland is no exception. Legislatures’ displeasure with insurers’ knack for finding devils in details sharpens where insurers deny coverage even though the insured’s mistakes caused no real problems. The Maryland…
Lifespan of Secret Offshore Accounts Dwindling
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a major guilty plea in line with their goal of curtailing the use of foreign bank accounts by Americans to conceal taxable assets. Credit Suisse bank pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to aid Americans evade taxes by hiding their wealth in…
Commercial Insurance – Contractors Need A Blueprint For Coverage
Liability insurance policies sold to businesses, and individuals, are often “occurrence”-based policies that provide coverage for specific events, or “occurrences,” that take place during a covered period (regardless of when a lawsuit based on those events is filed). This seems easy enough on the surface, but “occurrence” policies have given…
To Participate Or Not To Participate? That Is Now An Easier Question For Insurers To Answer In Maryland: The Recent Keller Opinion Protects Insurers Who Want To Participate At Trial, But Remain In The Background
When an injured party has insurance coverage, it’s a tricky thing figuring out what a jury should know about that insurance during trial. It can be even trickier when the insurer is an actual party, standing there fully represented in the courtroom. At least in Maryland, however, where insurance isn’t…
Reinsurance Transactions: A Recent Decision Highlights The Absolute Necessity Of Risk Transfer – No Risk Transfer, No Reinsurance
Reinsurance is a great way for insurance companies to manage their risk. An insurer issues a policy with a million dollars in liability limits, and then cedes, by way of example, 75% of that risk, or $750,000 to a “reinsurer.” The reinsurer charges a small premium based on its actuarial…
Buyer Beware: Businesses Need to Review The Insurance Coverages They Purchase – From The Policy To All Notices Received From A Carrier
As governments get increasingly involved in regulating telecommunications advertising, it is more important than ever for companies to be legally savvy about their mass-marketing techniques. Insurers are well aware that violations of mass-marketing laws have the potential to result in huge class action verdicts, so carriers tend to be vigilant…
Securities Arbitration – Get It Right The First Time Around
Plaintiffs rarely enjoy having their case jettisoned from court and onto the arbitration table – whether right or wrong, arbitration has a decidedly pro-defense rep that makes plaintiffs’ attorneys do just about anything to avoid it. But as shown in the recent Court of Special Appeals of Maryland case of…
Silverman Thompson Exploring Claims on Behalf of Business and Residents Affected by West Virginia Oil Spill
More than 100,000 households and businesses have been left without potable water because of a large-scale chemical spill discovered Thursday on the Elk River near Charlestown, West Virginia. The spill occurred just north of one of the largest water treatment plants in America and as many as 480,000 residents may…