Insurance Journal

Brazil Orders Vale, BHP and Samarco to Pay $9.7B in Damages for 2015 Dam Disaster

A Brazilian federal judge ruled that miners Vale and BHP and their joint venture Samarco must pay 47.6 billion reais ($9.67 billion) in damages for a 2015 tailings dam burst, according to a legal decision on Thursday seen by Reuters. …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Vale, BHP Ordered to Pay $9.7 Billion for 2015 Brazilian Dam Disaster

Vale SA, BHP Group and their Samarco iron ore venture must pay 47.6 billion reais ($9.7 billion) in compensation for damages caused in a 2015 tailings dam disaster in Brazil, a judge ruled. The decision allows for the companies to …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Houston ‘Hire A Dick’ Attorney Faces Another Six Figure Sanctions Order

For the second time in three months, Houston plaintiffs’ attorney Eric B. Dick has been ordered to reimburse an insurer more than $100,000 for filing a “frivolous, groundless” lawsuit made “solely for the purpose of harassment...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

NCCI President and CEO Donnell to Retire Early Next Year

The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) said President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Donnell plans to retire in February 2025 after about 10 years with the organization. “It’s been such a privilege to lead this organizati...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

People Moves: XPT Hires Binding and Brokerage Team; Integris Promotes Cronin

XPT Specialty Names Binding and Brokerage Team XPT Specialty, headquartered in New York, N.Y., hired a production and underwriting team to serve Middle Atlantic and Northeast clients. The wholesale broker’s new team is led by Gregg Guerreiro, e...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Fate of Most Remaining Zantac Lawsuits Weighed by Delaware Judge

GSK, Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies are urging a judge in Delaware this week to find that evidence plaintiffs’ lawyers want to use in about 72,000 lawsuits claiming that the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac caused cancer is not sup...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Study: Manmade Warming Increasing Drought in Western U.S.

Manmade warming has increased the prevalence and severity of concurrent drought and heat events, also termed hot droughts, across Western North America in the 20th-21st century, a new report shows. The authors of the report developed the Western Nort...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Google Settles AI-Related Chip Patent Lawsuit That Sought $1.67B

Google on Wednesday reached a settlement in a patent infringement lawsuit over chips that power the company’s artificial-intelligence technology, according to a filing in Massachusetts federal court. The settlement comes the same day that closi...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

California County Paying $5M Settlement Over Arrest Of Election Company Founder

Los Angeles County agreed to pay $5 million to the founder and CEO of a software company who was briefly accused of stealing data on county poll workers in a case he said was pushed by conspiracy theorists. The Board …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

California County Paying $5M Settlement Over Arrest Of Election Technology Company Founder

Los Angeles County agreed to pay $5 million to the founder and CEO of a software company who was briefly accused of stealing data on county poll workers in a case he said was pushed by conspiracy theorists. The Board …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

California County Paying $5M Settlement Over Arrest of Election Company Founder

Los Angeles County agreed to pay $5 million to the founder and CEO of a software company who was briefly accused of stealing data on county poll workers in a case he said was pushed by conspiracy theorists. The Board …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

People Moves: Former California Earthquake Authority CEO Pomeroy Joins GeoVera

Glenn Pomeroy, former CEO of the California Earthquake Authority (CEA), joined GeoVera as executive vice president of marketing and regulatory affairs effective February 1. GeoVera is headquartered in Fairfield, Calif. Pomeroy has over 30 years of in...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Empire State Building Lands New York Insurer With Lease for Full Floor

Greater New York Mutual Insurance Co. signed a lease at the Empire State Building. GNY Mutual, which currently has offices on Madison Avenue, agreed to a 17-year deal for a full floor at the famous New York tower, with 52,116 …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Worker Loses Legs to Trenching Machine; $150K Fine for Washington Contractor

A 16-year-old boy was using a walk-behind trencher on a job site in La Center, Washington to dig a channel for fence posts over the summer when he was dragged underneath the blade, causing injuries so severe that he lost …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Young Worker Loses Legs to Trenching Machine, Leading to $150K Fine for Washington Contractor

A 16-year-old boy was using a walk-behind trencher on a job site in La Center, Washington to dig a channel for fence posts over the summer when he was dragged underneath the blade, causing injuries so severe that he lost …

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

New Jersey Supreme Court Rules Against Casino in COVID Business Interruption Case

New Jersey’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an Atlantic City casino is not entitled to payouts from business interruption insurance for losses during the COVID-19 outbreak, determining that the presence of the virus did not constitute the k...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Virginia Lawmakers Advance Nominees to Fill Powerful Regulatory Agency Vacancies

Virginia lawmakers nominated experienced attorneys on Tuesday to fill two long-standing vacancies on the state’s powerful regulatory panel that oversees interests ranging from utilities to insurers. The openings on the three-judge State Corpora...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Mother of Disabled Girl Allegedly Raped Sues Pittsburgh School District, Starbucks

The mother of an intellectually disabled girl who was allegedly led from school grounds by three male students and sexually assaulted in a Starbucks bathroom and a nearby empty building filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing Starbucks, Pittsburgh Public...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Mother of Disabled Girl Allegedly Raped Sues School District, Starbucks, Transport Company

The mother of an intellectually disabled girl who was allegedly led from school grounds by three male students and sexually assaulted in a Starbucks bathroom and a nearby empty building filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing Starbucks, Pittsburgh Public...

Posted: Jan 26, 2024

Heavy Rains Cause Elevated Flooding Risks in Texas

HOUSTON (AP) —Heavy rains in Texas on Wednesday closed schools and elevated flooding risks around Houston in another round of soaking downpours that have made for a soggy and dangerous week across large portions of the U.S. A stretch of …

Posted: Jan 25, 2024

Texas Mutual Reports Nearly 6% Increase in Severe Injuries in 2023

Texas Mutual saw nearly 6% more severe injuries reported in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to an incident trends report released by the insurer. The construction industry reported the most serious incidents by industry in Texas in 2023...

Posted: Jan 25, 2024

Fifth Circuit Upholds $502K Award for Louisiana Church in Hurricane Laura Damage Suit

The United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month upheld a 2022 decision against Church Mutual Insurance Co. in favor of Sugartown United Pentecostal Church in Dry Creek, Louisiana, which sits about 50 miles northeast of Lake Charle...

Posted: Jan 25, 2024

Kansas Commissioner Schmidt to Serve on Three NAIC Committees

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced that she will be serving on three committees for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in 2024. Committee assignments were made at the NAIC’s winter meeting in January....

Posted: Jan 25, 2024

Walmart to Pay $60K over Sex Discrimination Case at Iowa Store

Walmart will pay $60,000 and provide other relief to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced. The EEOC charged in its suit that Walmart refused to promote an e...

Posted: Jan 25, 2024

People Moves: Aventum Promotes Eldridge to MD; Aon Names Dando as EMEA Head of Strategy, Technology...

This edition of International People Moves details appointments at re/insurance group Aventum, Aon, and Chubb. A summary of these new hires follows here. Aventum Promotes Eldridge to MD Aventum, the London-based re/insurance group that operates acros...

Posted: Jan 25, 2024