MAY 2017 BAD FAITH CASES: PUNITIVE DAMAGES CLAIM PROVIDES BASIS FOR FINDING JURISDICTIONAL MINIMUM MET, AND REMAND DENIED (Middle District)
The federal court refused to remand this UIM case, which had been removed by the insurer from Pike County Common Pleas. Among other things, the federal court found the diversity minimum met because the complaint sought punitive damages for bad faith. “Pennsylvania’s Bad Faith statute makes punitive damages available to Plaintiff and, in theory, makes the amount in controversy in excess of $75,000. Therefore, federal court jurisdiction is proper irrespective of the amount of uninsured motorist coverage in Plaintiff’s insurance policy and the precise amount of coverage is not relevant to the removal/remand question at hand.”
