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PAUL J. ISRAELSON has investigated and litigated first-party claims against insurance companies for more than 24 years involving issues of late notice, coverage exclusions, non-cooperation, fraud, arson, material misrepresentation, damages, liability limits, suit limitation provisions, subrogation and property value. He has conducted numerous examinations under oath pursuant to the policy terms, and has protected insurance companies from claims where there is no coverage. Mr. Israelson litigates property damage claims where the insurance company is called upon to defend and indemnify their insured due to their insured's alleged negligence, and also maintains an active appellate practice, handling the appeals of insurance coverage issues. He teaches a seminar on insurance fraud at C.W. Post's College of Continuing Education which deals with legal issues applicable to handling claims where coverage is contested because of fraud and is approved for CPCU credit by the New York State Insurance Department. Mr. Israelson has written three articles published in the Insurance Advocate: "The Importance Of Suit Limitation Provisions In Insurance Policies," "The Wear And Tear, Inherent Defect, and Mechanical Breakdown Exclusions Have Been Successfully Applied in New York To Deny Coverage" and "Helpful Hints For Investigating And Defending Against Fraudulent Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Claims." Prior to entering private practice, he served as an assistant district attorney for the Kings County District Attorney's Office, assigned to the Economic Crimes and Arson Bureau. While in that bureau, Mr. Israelson successfully prosecuted numerous fraudulent insurance claims and arsons for profit. He earned his B.S. degree from the Wharton School of Economics and Finance, University of Pennsylvania; and his J.D. degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. JOANNE E. Mc GUNNIGLE is a senior insurance examiner with the Chub Group of Insurance Companies, where she is responsible for high severity, complex claims and complex coverage files involving both primary and excess coverage. She is a senior coverage examiner with responsibility of assisting other examiners in evaluating coverage on their files and reviewing their coverage letters. Ms. Mc Gunnigle is a core examiner for errors and omissions claims. She is an examiner for real estate program and entertainment field production and programming group accounts. Ms. Mc Gunnigle negotiates high exposure files and coordinates litigation management with counsel for underlying insurers. She works with counsel from various states concerning the interpretation of policy language and local/state law. Ms. Mc Gunnigle earned her B.A. degree from Hofstra University and her M.B.A. degree from the New York Institute of Technology. GAIL L. RITZERT is a partner in the New York law firm of Havkins Rosenfeld Ritzert & Varriale, LLP. She focuses her practice on insurance coverage and insurance defense matters, concentrating in both the coverage and defense of catastrophic injury cases arising from construction accidents, products and premises defects and the defense of municipalities. Ms. Ritzert is a frequent speaker on matters related to insurance defense and personal injury for National Business Institute, the Defense Research Institute, the Defense Association of New York and the New York State Bar Association. She is a member of the Suffolk County, Nassau County and Connecticut bar associations. Ms. Ritzert also is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, the Defense Association of New York (past president) and the Defense Research Institute (has served as the New York State representative). She earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from Pfeiffer College, her M.Ed. degree from Frostburg State University and her J.D. degree from St. John's University. JOEL A. SWEETBAUM is attorney with Sweetbaum & Sweetbaum, where he concentrates his practice in insurance coverage defense, real estate, both residential and commercial, and appellate practice. Mr. Sweetbaum has argued appeals in both the First and Second departments, and has handled every aspect of litigation, from the inception of the lawsuit up to and including the trial stage of the cases. He is counsel to Allstate Insurance Company, Eveready Insurance Company and the Liquidation Bureau of the State of New York. Mr. Sweetbaum's insurance coverage experience includes construction accident, personal injury claims, no-fault claims and fraud. He handles all types of insurance coverage litigation as well as providing coverage opinions. Mr. Sweetbaum earned his J.D. degree from Northern Illinois University School of Law. He is a member of the New York State and Nassau County bar associations, as well as the American Trial Lawyers. Mr. Sweetbaum is admitted to practice in the courts of the State of New York, as well as before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern districts of New York. SETH I. WEINSTEIN is a partner in the New York firm of Lester Schwab Katz & Dwyer, LLP, where his practice is principally concentrated in the areas of property loss litigation and insurance coverage, including the defense and prosecution of subrogation actions. These cases/claims often involve catastrophic building fires, explosions, building collapse, equipment and machinery malfunction, maritime disasters, water damage, water main breaks, mold, theft of property, property contamination and other pollution-related matters. He also assists insurance carriers with claims investigation, coverage interpretation and litigation of losses in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. Mr. Weinstein has significant experience in very large complex first-party property coverage disputes, including many disputes concerning the tragic events of September 11, 2001. He routinely lectures on the subjects of property loss litigation and insurance coverage for clients and continuing legal education programs. Mr. Weinstein earned his B.B.A. degree from Florida Atlantic University and his J.D. degree from New York Law School.
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