Husband And Wife Battle Insurance Company For Damages

The following blog entry is written to illustrate a common motion filed during civil litigation. Reviewing this kind of filing should help potential plaintiffs and clients better understand how parties in personal injury cases present such issues to the court.

(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this insurance bad faith lawsuit and its proceedings.)

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The Halls filed a complaint in the Sacramento County Superior Court in May 2008, alleging several causes of actions against defendants XYZ Insurance Company, Paul Smith, and Daniel Black. XYZ answered the complaint in August 2008, and removed the case to the U.S. District Court. In tandem they filed a motion to dismiss Daniel Black and Paul Smith on the premise that plaintiffs intentionally joined these defendants to defeat diversity, alleging they were fraudulently joined for that purpose.

The Halls filed a motion to remand the case back to the state court because it did not meet the jurisdictional requirement for the federal courts. The U.S. District Court agreed and remanded the case to the state court on October 10, 2008, without hearing a dismissal motion for Black and Smith.

On November 3, 2008, XYZ sent notice that they were going to demurrer to the complaint as to Daniel Black and Paul Smith as defendants. The demurrer was not filed until January 8, 2009. This is nearly 90 days after the receipt of the order to remand to the state court. Code of Civil Procedure section 430.90 requires an answer or a demurrer be filed within 30 days after receipt of the remanded case in the state court.

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.

The Halls have attempted to settle for the damages only to the structure, but XYZ refuses. Paul Smith was dismissed as a defendant on January 8, 2009. (See Part 3 of 6.)

For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.