California Court of Appeal

Home insurer unsuccessfully appeals from a jury verdict in an insurance bad faith action arising from the destruction of Plaintiffs' home. Court finds that: 1) because the economic damages award stands in a reasonable, two-to-one relationship to the noneconomic damages award, the latter is not excessive; 2) regional claims adjusters employed by the insurer were "managing agents" for purposes of punitive damages; and 3) the punitive damages award does not raise due process concerns because it is roughly equal to the tort damages award.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/06/2009
• Published 01/06/2009

Judges

• NARES, J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Horvitz & Levy, Lisa Perrochet, Margaret S. Thomas, Encino;  Law Offices of Kenneth N. Greenfield and Kenneth N. Greenfield, San Diego, for Defendant and Appellant., Levine, Steinberg, Miller & Huver and Craig A. Miller, San Diego, for Plaintiffs and Respondents.