Louisiana Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law - Made Simple

Agenda / Content Covered

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1. Louisiana UM/UIM Insurance Law Fundamentals
   9:00 - 10:00, John A. Davis and Josh L. Powell
   1. Legislative Update
   2. Statute of Limitations
   3. Court Filing Procedures and Deadlines
   4. Choice of Law and Venue
2. Clarifying UM/UIM Coverage - Carrier Obligations Made Simple
   10:00 - 11:00, Kristin L. Beckman
   1. Insurance Coverage Obligations
   2. Who's Covered? Defining "Family Member"
   3. Interpreting Exclusions in the Policy
   4. Policy Arbitration Requirements
   5. Lawsuit Threshold
   6. Finding Sources and Limits of Coverage
   7. Hit and Run Coverage
   8. Waiving Coverage
   9. "Arising out of Ownership, Maintenance or Use"?
3. Is the Motorist Underinsured? Easy Ways to Calculate Limits and Damages
   11:15 - 12:15, Kristin L. Beckman
   1. State Case Law
   2. Calculating Liability Limits
   3. Proof, Quantification and Calculation of Damages/Injuries
   4. How Much the Policy Covers
   5. Loss of Earning Capacity and Future Lost Wages
   6. Pain and Suffering Damages
   7. Medical Bills
   8. Offsets and Reimbursements
   9. Stacking Made Simple
4. Medical Discovery Basics for UM/UIM Cases
   1:15 - 2:15, Kristopher M. Gould
   1. Review of Medical Bills and Records
   2. Physical Examination of the Injured Person
   3. Doctor Deposition - Plaintiff and Defense Strategies
5. UN/UNDERinsured Motorist Case Mechanics - Real Life Case Scenarios
   2:15 - 3:15, Kristopher M. Gould
   1. Injury Claims Due to Vehicle Operation, Maintenance and Use
   2. Naming Multiple Parties to the Lawsuit
   3. Filing the Underinsured Motorist Claim with Insurance Company
   4. Accident Scene Discovery Strategies Unique to UIM Cases
   5. Sample Demand, ROR Letters and Insurance Forms
   6. Tips for Working with the Liability Insurance Adjuster
6. Ethics in UM/UIM Cases
   3:30 - 4:30, John A. Davis and Josh L. Powell
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. Bad Faith Considerations
   3. Subrogation
   4. Settlement
   5. Valuing the Claim
   6. Informed Consent

KRISTIN L. BECKMAN is an attorney with Pipes Miles Beckman, LLC, where her practice focuses on complex litigation matters, including product liability, business torts, insurance coverage and bad faith, commercial contracts, and general commercial disputes. Her insurance cases arise from claims for business interruption, property damage, and extra-contractual bad faith claims relating to bodily injury and property damage. Ms. Beckman is currently co-chair of the Experts and Evidence Subcommittee of the ABA Section of the Litigation Mass Torts Committee and is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education Committee. She is a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and routinely provides pro bono representation to those in need. Ms. Beckman earned her B.A. degree from Boston College and her J.D. degree from Loyola University School of Law.

JOHN A. DAVIS is an attorney with Morris & Dewett, LLC where he focuses on legal writing and routinely drafts briefs to the state district courts and state appellate courts, with occasional briefs to the Louisiana Supreme Court and U.S. district courts. Mr. Davis attended Tulane University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English and he earned his J.D. degree from LSU Law School.

KRISTOPHER M. GOULD is an attorney at Perrier & LaCoste. He represents insurance carriers in first and third party automobile, homeowner, and premises liability lawsuits; insurance coverage disputes; extra contractual and bad faith claims; and workers' compensation claims. Mr. Gould is licensed in Louisiana and North Carolina and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Middle, and Western districts of Louisiana. He is a member of the New Orleans Association of Defense Counsel, New Orleans Bar Association, North Carolina Bar Association, and Louisiana State Bar Association. Mr. Gould earned his B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

JOSH L. POWELL is an attorney with Morris & Dewett, LLC represents families and individuals in all types of personal injury cases and was hired at Morris & Dewett to be part of the trial team. Mr. Powell earned his B.S. degree in construction engineering from Louisiana Tech University. After working in the oil and gas industry for a few years, he attended Mississippi College School of Law, where he received his J.D. degree, cum laude. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Shreveport Bar Association.