Jury Verdicts & Settlements

Latest jury verdicts, settlements, and legal outcome analysis

Jury Sides With Insurer in Miami Wind Damage Claim

A Miami-Dade couple sued their homeowners insurance company after it failed to pay for wind and rain damage they said struck their property in May 2020. The insurer denied the claim, citing a six-month delay in reporting the loss, missing documentation, and an inspection that found wear and tear rather than storm damage. After a jury trial, the jury found the homeowners did not prove their property suffered a direct physical loss during the policy period, and the Court entered final judgment in favor of the insurance company.

Breach of Contract

Jury Awards $75K in Florida Water Damage Insurance Suit

A Miami-Dade jury sided with homeowners Judy Dorcelus and Myrtha Ambroise-Dorcelus in their breach of contract suit against Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, rejecting all eleven of the insurer's affirmative defenses, including late notice, neglect, and failure to provide documentation. The jury awarded $75,000 in damages for a 2019 plumbing-related water loss, and the Court later entered final judgment for $55,828.63 plus $23,513.54 in prejudgment interest.

Insurance Law

Jury Backs Widow in $1M Life Insurance Lapse Lawsuit

A California widow took her late husband's life insurer to federal Court after it refused to pay the $1,000,000 benefit on his term life policy. The insurer said the policy had lapsed in March 2016 because a single monthly premium went unpaid. The widow argued the company never followed two California laws that require a 60-day grace period, a written 30-day notice before any termination, and an annual notice telling policyholders they can name someone else to receive lapse warnings. Her husband, who was incapacitated at the time, died in May 2016 while the family waited to learn the policy's status. After a trial before Judge Jinsook Ohta, the Court had already ruled the statutes applied to the policy and that the insurer broke the law by failing to notify her husband of his right to designate another person. On January 13, 2026, the jury sided with the widow, finding her husband did not knowingly let the policy lapse and that the insurer's missing notices caused the lapse.

Breach of Contract

Florida Jury Denies Storm Damage Claim for Windermere Home

In a significant victory for property insurers, an Orange County jury returned a defense verdict in a breach of contract lawsuit brought by Jesus and Norma Santiago against First Protective Insurance Company. The homeowners claimed their Windermere residence suffered direct physical loss due to wind or hail between 2021 and 2022, resulting in interior ceiling leaks. However, the defense presented engineering evidence showing the damage actually stemmed from age-related wear, construction defects, and poor maintenance. The jury ultimately found that no covered loss occurred during the policy period, relieving the insurer of any obligation to pay the claim.

Breach of Contract

Florida Jury Awards $30K in Insurance Breach Case

A Broward County jury found Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company liable for breach of contract after the insurer failed to pay full benefits for water damage at a Sunrise, Florida home. The November 2025 verdict awarded homeowners Nadine and Stephen Casella $53,099.30 in total damages, resulting in a final judgment of $30,093.99 including prejudgment interest. The case centered on a disputed April 2023 weather-related water damage claim where the insurer initially paid only $18,470.88 for building repairs despite the homeowners' assertion that costs far exceeded that amount.

Breach of Contract

Jury Rules for Insurer in Florida Windstorm Damage Dispute

A Miami-Dade County jury delivered a defense verdict in favor of People's Trust Insurance Company on July 29, 2025. Homeowners Jasmine Villaflor and Margarita Hijosa claimed a September 2022 windstorm damaged their residential property at 5920 SW 157th Place, Miami. Their public adjuster estimated repairs at $100,731.52, including full roof replacement and interior repairs to multiple rooms. The insurance company denied the claim, arguing the plaintiffs reported the loss more than one year after it allegedly occurred. People's Trust raised fourteen affirmative defenses, including late notice, wear and tear, and policy exclusions. The jury found the plaintiffs did not prove windstorm damage occurred during the coverage period, ending the case without a damages award.

Breach of Contract

Homeowner Wins Miami Insurance Coverage Verdict

The case of Clotaire Borgella v. Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company (UPCIC) was a lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County stemming from the insurer's denial of a property damage claim. The homeowner, Mr. Borgella, claimed his property sustained a direct physical loss during the policy period of November 2019 to November 2020. UPCIC denied the claim, asserting multiple Affirmative Defenses, primarily arguing that the damage was due to excluded causes like faulty workmanship or pre-existing conditions, and that Mr. Borgella failed to comply with his "Duties After Loss." The trial focused on expert testimony about the cause of the loss. The jury ultimately found that a direct physical loss had occurred. Although the jury agreed with the insurer that Mr. Borgella failed to substantially comply with the duty to show the cause of loss, they proceeded to assess damages. On November 7, 2024, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff.

Breach of Contract

State Farm Wins Water Damage Case: Policy Exclusion Applies

The case, Mildred and Edgardo Ventura v. State Farm Florida Insurance Company centered on a homeowner's claim for water and mold damage in Broward County, Florida. Plaintiffs Mildred and Edgardo Ventura argued State Farm breached their insurance contract by refusing to cover the loss reported in November 2021. State Farm admitted that damage occurred during the policy period, but its defense hinged on policy exclusions, specifically arguing the damage resulted from continuous or repeated seepage or leakage over time, a non-covered event. The jury in the 17th Judicial Circuit delivered a verdict on August 28, 2025. After the jury confirmed that the homeowners' property sustained damage during the policy period, they answered the critical second question: the jury found that the greater weight of the evidence did show the damage was excluded from coverage by the policy. This ruling validated State Farm’s denial, meaning the Venturas received no recovery for their claim.

Medical Malpractice

Medmal Direct Wins Lawsuit vs. Broward Medical Center

The lawsuit, Broward Outpatient Medical Center, LLC, et al. v. Medmal Direct Insurance Company (Case No. CACE-21-020771), was an insurance coverage dispute heard in Broward County, Florida. Plaintiffs BOMC and BISC claimed their insurer, Medmal Direct, wrongfully denied coverage and defense for underlying medical malpractice claims related to an insured physician, Merrill Reuter, M.D. The facilities asserted the policy covered them and that Medmal Direct's denial constituted a breach of contract. Medmal Direct, the Defendant, centered its defense on the Plaintiffs' failure to provide claim notice during the policy period, an essential policy requirement, and raised exclusions for fraud or fee disputes. The jury, returning its verdict on July 25, 2025, sided completely with the insurer. Specifically, the jury found that Medmal Direct did not receive a claim notice on behalf of the facilities and did not waive its policy requirement. Furthermore, the jury concluded that the Plaintiffs did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that the insurer made a factual representation that created a basis for equitable estoppel.