Bailey Glasser Wins $32.7 Million Verdict on Behalf of Ramaco Resources
In July 2021, Bailey Glasser secured a $32.7 million jury verdict on behalf of Ramaco Resources, Inc. in a lawsuit against insurance companies indirectly owned by Chubb INA Holdings, Inc. The lawsuit was brought forth after Chubb's denial of insurance coverage of damages after the collapse of a coal storage silo, which occurred at the Ramaco’s Elk Creek coal complex in West Virginia on November 5, 2018.
After a 10-day trial, a jury in West Virginia sided with Ramaco Resources ordering Chubb to pay $3.3 million for extra expenses, $3.8 million in income loss, more than $500,000 in interest and $25 million in "aggravation and inconvenience damages."
The case was litigated in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. As of August 2021, the verdict is not final and may be subject to post-trial motions or appeal.
The Bailey Glasser trial team including lawyers Brian Glasser, Nick Johnson, Becky Pomeroy, Michael Murphy, Joshua Hammack, and Christopher Smith. Bailey Glasser’s work in getting this matter to a jury during COVID added layers of complications to what was already a contentious case, but the positive result speaks for itself.
Said Bailey Glasser partner and lead trial counsel on this case, Nick Johnson, “Our mission at Bailey Glasser focuses on the idea of trial lawyers bringing forth their best case on behalf of our clients, even during trying times like COVID. Here, our team’s deep knowledge of the energy industry and experience in insurance recovery, combined with our incomparable trial experience, produced this result on behalf of our client. This verdict also reflects our dedication to holding insurance companies accountable for improperly refusing to pay legitimate claims. We are grateful for the time and attention of the jury and the Court in this case.”
The West Virginia Record reports this jury verdict “might be the largest insurance verdicts in the West Virginia history.” Law360, Business Insurance Magazine, and Insurance Business America also covered this case.
