Firm’s Appellate Team of Catenacci, Dyer, Lyons Obtain Reversal of $5.5M Judgment Against IFA

Roseland, NJ, March 10, 2009 —  Connell Foley’s appellate team of Richard D. Catenacci, Glenn T. Dyer and M. Trevor Lyons recently obtained a reversal on appeal of a $5,551,518.47 judgment entered by the trial court against our client, IFA Insurance Company.  The plaintiff had alleged that IFA acted in bad faith by failing to settle her personal injury claim against its insured.  Since there were multiple claims against IFA’s $35,000.00 combined single limit policy, IFA offered the entire policy limit to settle all of the claims.  When plaintiff refused to accept anything less than the entire limit for herself, IFA deposited the money into court.  In its February 19, 2009 decision, the Appellate Division unanimously agreed that the plaintiff’s claim against IFA lacked the necessary factual and legal basis to establish bad faith.  The Court not only reversed the summary judgment entered by the trial court, but remanded the case for entry of summary judgment in IFA’s favor. 

Mr. Catenacci is a Partner and member of the firm’s Business Litigation, Insurance Law, Intellectual Property, Product Liability and Tort Law practice groups.

Mr. Dyer is a Partner and member of the firm’s Insurance Law, Mass Tort and Toxic Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Professional Liability practice groups.

Mr. Lyons is an Associate and member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Law practice group. 

For more information regarding the case, please contact Mr. Catennacci at rcatennacci@connellfoley.com, Mr. Dyer at gdyer@connellfoley.com or Mr. Lyons at mlyons@connellfoley.com.