Date: 05-27-2006

Case Style: Donald W. Watkins, Jr. and Bridget Watkins v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company

Case Number: Unknown

Judge: Richard G. VanDyck

Court: District Court, Grady County, Oklahoma

Plaintiff's Attorney:

Jeff Marr, Law Offices of Jeffrey D. Marr, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and John Wiggins of Short Wiggins Margo & Butts. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Defendant's Attorney:

F. Tom Cordell of Chickasha, Oklahoma and Richard Ford and Rustin Strubhar of Crowe & Dunlevy, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Description:

Donald and Bridget Watkins sued State Farm Fire & Casualty insurance company on breach of contract and bad faith theories claiming that the defendant insurance company wrongfully failed and refused to adjust the Watkins' claims relating to tornado damage relating to a 1999 storm. They claimed that State Farm had "engaged in a wrongful scheme to delay, deny and underpay claims . . . repeatedly and unilaterally engaging the services of Haag Engineering Co. to inspect brick and other structural damage to policyholders' homes." They further claimed that State Farm "was predetermined to disagree with the policy holder as to the nature and extent of their losses." "State Far then utilized the engineeing reports of Haag Engineering Co. as a basis for its wrongful undeerpayment or denial of said claims . . ."; that it "recklessly disregarded its duty to deal farly and act in good faith with class members (Plaintiffs) in its use of Haag Engineering Co."; and that "intentionally and with malice breached its duty to deal fairly and act in good faith with class members (Plaintiffs) in its use of Haag Engineering Co."

State Farm denied wrongdoing.

Outcome: Plaintiffs' verdict for $3 million in compensatory damages and $9.9 million in punitive damages.

Plaintiff's Experts: Unknown

Defendant's Experts: Unknown

Comments: None