Jury Orders Insurer To Pay $600,000 in Bad Faith Case for Hurricane Harvey Damages

Attorneys David Bergen and John Black of Daly & Black, P.C. recently represented a wronged policyholder who sought compensation for vehicle damages after Hurricane Harvey. Our firm helped the policyholder, Jaime Dominguez-Siller, as he filed the claim for damages to his truck after the 2017 hurricane hit Texas. After the insurer offered an insufficient payment for the damages, Dominguez-Siller and our attorneys filed a suit against the company. After two years, the suit finally ended in September of 2019 when a Texas jury found the insurer guilty of breaching its policy in bad faith and asked them to pay the policyholder $600,000 in damages and other fees.

This is the largest auto flood verdict in all of Texas to date, and our firm is proud to have achieved such a favorable outcome for our client.

Following the devastating hurricane, Jaime Dominguez-Siller filed a claim with his insurance company, American Access Casualty Co, for the water damage inflicted on his 2015 GMC Sierra truck.

According to the Dominguez-Siller’s lawsuit:

“The adjuster assigned to the claim conducted a substandard investigation and inspection of the automobile, preparing a report that failed to include all of the damages that were observed during the inspection, and undervalued the damages observed during the inspection. This unreasonable investigation led to the underpayment of plaintiff’s claim.”

In response to the claim, Dominguez-Siller received a meager offer of $6,000 from American Access. The insurance company’s lowball offer was not nearly enough to cover the damages, and, as a result, the truck’s condition worsened until the damage became irreparable.

American Access’s irresponsible actions led to a far more costly loss than their meager offer would cover. According to the jury, the insurer’s deceptive and unfair practices directly breached the terms of the automobile policy and violated Chapter 541 of the Texas Insurance Code. Their bad faith led the jury to award damages for compensatory and consequential damages, bad faith damages, and compensation for legal fees, for a grand total of $600,000. The jury’s verdict is the largest awarded in Texas for automobile flood damage, and it was an astounding 100 times larger than the insurance company’s initial offer.

Need Help With Your Bad Faith Insurance Case? We’re Here To Help!

Seeking compensation after a natural disaster is no easy feat, especially if your insurance company fails to uphold their end of the policy. If you received a low offer from your insurance company for automobile damage, or another similar issue, our firm is prepared to help you take legal action. We are passionate about fighting for the rights of those affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters, and our team isn’t afraid to stand up to big insurance companies or corporate defendants. However complex your case may seem, we’re here to provide the legal guidance you need and deserve.

Ready to get started? Contact Daly & Black, P.C. today to discuss your case with our attorneys.