EMAILS BETWEEN CLAIMS ADJUSTER AND PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL AFTER INSURER’S DEFENSE COUNSEL’S INVOLVEMENT IS MADE KNOWN: IT’S BEST NOT TO DO THAT, EVEN IF ADJUSTER INITIATES THE CONTACT (Middle District)
This UIM breach of contract and bad faith case involved an alleged ex parte contact with the carrier’s claims adjuster, after defense counsel had communicated a letter of representation to the insured’s counsel. Three months later after that representation letter, there were direct communications, via email exchanges, between plaintiff’s counsel and the claims adjuster. They discussed the plaintiff’s demands and claims handling events. The carrier brought a motion for a protective order to preclude use of these emails in the case, because of the allegedly impermissible ex parte contacts with a represented person.
The email initiating the communications came from the adjuster to plaintiff’s counsel. The carrier took the position this was inadvertent, asserting the adjuster actually intended the email for her own defense counsel. The court observed it was unclear whether the communication was inadvertent. In any event, the court found whether intended or inadvertent, the result is the same.
The court generally observed that the prudent course would have been for plaintiff’s counsel to communicate with defense counsel regarding the adjuster’s very first email, rather than responding to the adjuster. This clearly would have avoided the ensuing issues.
The court analyzed the contact under Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2, governing direct contacts with represented persons. It concluded the rule was not violated. There was no intent to create an unfair advantage or indicia of dishonest intent. Further, the court observed defense counsel did not make an issue of the email exchange for a year, in demanding that it not be disseminated by plaintiff’s counsel, e.g., to plaintiff’s expert.
However, though there was no rule violation, some remedial measures were warranted. Thus, the court precluded any information obtained from the adjuster via these emails, that could bind the carrier.
The court did deny a request for attorney’s fees on the motion. The communications were limited, and the conduct did not rise to the level of egregiousness that would call for an attorney’s fee award.
Date of Decision: July 17, 2019
Golden v. Brethren Mutual Insurance Co., U. S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania Civil No. 3:18-CV-02425, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118519, 2019 WL 3216629 (M.D. Pa. July 17, 2019) (Saporito, M.J.)
