Statistics say that six out of ten drivers on the road carry inadequate or no insurance. With the largely voluntary nature of UM/UIM insurance coverage and rapidly changing statutory and case law, you have your work cut out for you. Don't struggle through the mountains of legalese alone. Order this in-depth analysis of current issues in the law and practice of UM/UIM, and get the latest legislative updates along with a balanced view of today's challenges.

1. Determining Coverage and Valuing Damages in UM/UIM Cases
2. Procedural Tips and Techniques for Handling Subrogation, Rights of Reimbursement and Liens
3. Effective Settlement Negotiations and Arbitration
4. First Party Bad Faith - an Indelible Part of UM/UIM Practice?
5. Special Issues That Can Make or Break Your Case
6. Legal Ethics in Insurance Practice
7. Roundtable Discussion on Current Trends in UM/UIM/SUM Law and Practice

DETERMINING COVERAGE AND VALUING DAMAGES IN UM/UIM CASES
9:00 - 10:00, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• Legislative and Case Law Update
• Which Exceptions Apply in Your Case?
• 5 Difficult Scenarios of Insurance Coverage Interpretation
• How Much are Your Limbs Worth? Clarifying the Definition of “Serious Injury”
• Determining Loss of Capacity
• Do You Really Need a Permanency Rating?
• The Complexities of Applying the “Made Whole” Doctrine
• Valuing Soft Tissue and Emotional Distress
• Managing the Complexities of Wrongful Death Claims – Who is the Plaintiff?
• Tips for Working With Medical Experts
• Planning Out the Lawsuit

PROCEDURAL TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING SUBROGATION, RIGHTS OF REIMBURSEMENT AND LIENS
10:15 - 11:00, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• Relevant Statutory and Case Law Update
• Identifying Liens and Determining Their Priority
• Effective Tools for Streamlining the Subrogation Process
• Subrogation of PIP
• Don't let the Worker's Comp Lien Destroy Your Case
• ERISA Health Care Liens
• Medicare Disasters
• What is the Dollar-for-Dollar set off?

EFFECTIVE SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND ARBITRATION
11:00 - 12:00, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• Current Law and Latest Court Rulings
• Negotiation Techniques of the Masters
• Using Mediation to Your Advantage
• Arbitration vs. Litigation
• Gaining an Edge With Superior Document Submissions
• Settling the tort Case with Multiple Plantiffs - be careful!
• How to Make an Impression with the Settlement Package

FIRST PARTY BAD FAITH - AN INDELIBLE PART OF UM/UIM PRACTICE?
1:00 - 1:45, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• The New Law/Chapter 150, Senate Bill 389 - Getting through the Maze!!!
• Is Every Case a "First Party Bad Faith" Case?
• The Role of the Maryland Insurance Administration
• Opinions from the M.I.A. - Who is Winning and Who is Losing?
• Avoiding the Land Mines on the Road to the Circuit Court
• Winning a "First Party Bad Faith" Action - is it Possible?
• Where are Those Attorney's Fees?
• COMAR Regulations

SPECIAL ISSUES THAT CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR CASE
1:45 - 2:45, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• Debating the Stacking of Limits for Private and Commercial Policyholders – What do the Courts Say?
• When is a Stacking Waiver No Longer Useful?
• Preparation and Preservation of Claims
• Handling Conflicts of Law With Other States
• What if the Car has Caused an Accident Without Direct Contact?
• How Will the Latest Appellate Court Decisions Affect Your Practice?
• Understanding Insurance Article, Section 19-511
• Life after Mauer
• The Client Who Never Stops Treating

LEGAL ETHICS IN INSURANCE PRACTICE
3:00 - 4:00, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• Preserving Attorney-Client Privilege
• Determining and Collecting Attorneys' Fees
• Avoiding Conflicts of Interest in Multiple Representation
• Disbursing the Funds

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON CURRENT TRENDS IN UM/UIM/SUM LAW AND PRACTICE
4:00 - 4:30, Robert G. Fiore and Rodney M. Gaston

• When do You Bring the UIM Carrier into the Case?
• Insured's Obligations Under the Contract
• More Than One UIM Carrier in the Case
• Settling the Case with Multiple Claimants
• The Loss of Consortium Claim
• U/M First - then Worker's Compensation
• Can You File a Declaratory Action?
• Venue Considerations

ROBERT G. FIORE is the managing attorney of Fiore, Krause, Fizer, Crogan & Lopez, the Maryland/Washington, D.C. litigation office for Zurich Insurance of North America. He concentrates his practice in the areas of serious personal injury, wrongful death, commercial law, insurance law and major subrogation recoveries. He has more than 25 years of litigation experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in Maryland State and federal court jury trials. Since 1993, Mr. Fiore has been certified by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) to teach advocacy skills. During the past 18 years, he has mentored attorneys from all over the country on the science, strategies, art and technique of trying a civil case before a jury. He has spoken before the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ) and the Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc.; and has taught as a guest lecturer at the University of Baltimore Law School. Mr. Fiore currently offers continuing legal education programs and workshops through the Litigation Section of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA). He also lectures through National Business Institute (NBI, Inc.). Mr. Fiore is licensed in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and is a member of the state and federal court bars for both jurisdictions as well as the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. He is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA); the Maryland Association for Justice (MAJ); the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP); Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc.; numerous county bar associations in Maryland; and he is a recipient of the 2011 Governor's Victims' Service award for his pro bono work through the Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center, Inc. (MCVRC).

RODNEY M. GASTON is an attorney at Miller & Zois, LLC, where his practice focuses on medical malpractice and auto/personal injury litigation. Mr. Gaston is admitted to practice law in all Maryland State courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has extensive trial experience in both the district courts and circuit courts throughout the state, and has presented oral arguments before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. He also participated in the nation's largest pro bono representation effort ever undertaken to represent victims of the September 11th, 2001 attacks. Mr. Gaston has lectured for National Business Institute and for the Maryland Association for Justice on topics including uninsured and underinsured motorists claims, first party bad faith claims, handling the auto injury claim, and litigating the defense medical examination request. He is a member of the Maryland Association of Justice, where he has served on the board of governors and is the former chairperson of Education and Programs Committee. He also is a member of the American Association for Justice. Mr. Gaston graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Please refer to Continuing Education Credit FAQ for general information about seeking credit for your participation in one of our continuing education programs.

Additionally, our team of credit specialists are here to answer your specific credit-related questions weekdays 7am - 5pm Central:

Phone: 866-240-1890

Email: credit@nbi-sems.com