Insurance Settlement Investigation

Dear Clients and friends,

Our firm is currently exploring the possibility of a lawsuit against several insurance companies for violating state laws concerning out of court settlements with minors. Specifically, we believe that many of the major insurance companies have been settling unfiled claims of minors without going through the court system for settlement approval. In this way, the insurance companies not only avoid court costs and legal fees, but also they avoid the oversight of the courts designed to protect the interests of the children.

For example, if a child is injured in a car accident and an insurance company pays damages for the child's injuries, many state laws require a court to approve the settlement. This requirement for court approval of the settlement applies even if no lawsuit has been filed. However, in many instances, insurance companies have not been getting court approval or telling parents about the court-approval requirement. As a result, settlement values may be too low and further, the settlement money may not have been invested in a secure, court approved account to be held until the child's eighteenth birthday. In short, we believe insurance companies have taken advantage of people who just don't know what the legal requirements are, and that judicial supervision is required to protect those involved.

If you, or someone you know, have settled a claim with an insurance company involving a child under the age of 18 without being represented by legal counsel, please contact our office as soon as possible. If the insurance company who paid the claim for your child's injuries did not get court approval in a state where such approval is required, your child may be entitled to damages from the insurance company.