United States Fifth Circuit

In an action brought by homeowners against their insurers, alleging that their homes were totally destroyed in Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita, an order dismissing the homeowners' claims is affirmed as the district court correctly concluded that Louisiana's Value Policy Law does not apply when a total loss does not result from a covered peril.

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/06/2007
• Published 08/07/2007

Judges

• W. EUGENE DAVIS, Circuit Judge:, Before HIGGINBOTHAM, DAVIS and BARKSDALE, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fifth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Andre P. LaPlace (argued), Law Offices of Andre P. LaPlace, Baton Rouge, LA, Gregory M. Porobil, New Orleans, LA, for Plaintiffs-Appellants., Wayne J. Lee, Stephen G. Bullock, Mary Lue Dumestre, Andrea Leigh Fannin, Heather Shauri Lonian, Stone, Pigman, Walther & Wittmann, New Orleans, LA, for State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., Richard L. Fenton, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, Chicago, IL, for Allstate Indem. Co., Judy Y. Barrasso, H. Minor Pipes, III, Susan M. Rogge, Barrasso, Usdin, Kupperman, Freeman & Sarver, New Orleans, LA, for Allstate Indem. Co. and Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., Harry M. Reasoner, Marie Roach Yeates, Gwendolyn Johnson Samora, Vinson & Elkins, Houston, TX, for Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co., Seth Andrew Schmeeckle, Ralph S. Hubbard, III (argued), Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard, New Orleans, LA, Stephen E. Goldman, Wystan Michael Ackerman, Robinson & Cole, Hartford, CT, for Hartford Ins. Co. of Midwest., Richard Joseph Doren, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles, CA, Daniel Winthrop Nelson, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Washington, DC, Robert I. Siegel, Gieger, Laborde & Laperouse, New Orleans, LA, for Lexington, Ins. Co., Dominic J. Ovella, Sean Patrick Mount, Daniel Michael Redmann, Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, Metairie, LA, for Fidelity & Deposit Co. of Maryland, Empire Fire & Marine Ins. Co., Empire Indem. Ins. Co. and Centre Ins. Co., Amici Curiae., Christopher Raymond Pennison, Jay M. Lonero, Larzelere, Picou, Wells, Simpson & Lonero, Metairie, LA, for Republic Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., Amicus Curiae., Remy Voisin Starns (argued), Baton Rouge, LA, for Plaintiffs-Appellants in 06-31133., Terrence J. Lestelle (argued), Andrea S. Lestelle, Jeffery Bryan Struckhoff, Lestelle & Lestelle, Metairie, LA, for Chauvin., Christopher Weldon Martin, Levon G. Hovnatanian, Martin R. Sadler, Martin, Disiere, Jefferson & Wisdom, Houston, TX, for United Services Auto. Ass'n.