Gotta Have (Good) Faith...and Beware the 'Lizard's Tail'

When an insurance company is accused of acting in bad faith, it's alleged that they failed to act fairly and reasonably in handling a claim -- often related to not agreeing to a reasonable settlement when the financial risk to the insured at trial was known to be substantial. In this episode, host Dr. Gita Pensa talks with Florida attorney Dale Swope about his decades of experience with bad faith lawsuits.   Mr. Swope emphasizes that some liability insurers are more reliable and fair-minded than others, so it’s important to consider an insurer’s reputation. Just as an adverse medical event doesn’t always mean malpractice, an unfavorable legal outcome doesn’t automatically mean the insurer acted in bad faith. However, insurers do have obligations to their policyholders—and if those obligations aren’t met and there’s a negative legal outcome, it can lay the groundwork for a bad faith lawsuit.  Mr. Swope also makes starkly clear the importance of knowing who you're really working for when you're working for a mega-group. (You'll want to check the name on your W-2 immediately.) Dale Swope is managing partner of Swope, Rodante P.A. which is the development of the solo firm practice he founded six months out of law school, in 1979. In his more than thirty years of service as a Board-Certified Civil Trial Specialist, and previously a Board-Certified Business Litigation Specialist, Mr. Swope has won many awards, and holds a reputation as one of the preeminent attorneys practicing in Florida in the area of insurance bad faith.