Shuttered courts led to increase in settlements
Court closings forced by the COVID-19 pandemic indirectly impacted some insurance claims disputes by eliminating an important path to resolution, lawyers say. With courts unable to open due to state restrictions, binding arbitration has become a more compulsory way to resolve disputes, said Robert Blasio, general manager of Gallagher Bassett Specialty, who is a trained attorney. "It got us thinking of alternative ways" to resolve cases and disputes, he said. Binding arbitration, often conducted over video, provided a "safe and convenient environment and enabled the case to be resolved," he said. While not all clients were open to arbitration, "we had many scenarios in which to resolve cases". Especially in the early days of the pandemic, there was "a lot of rush to resolve cases" due to the uncertainty caused by lack of access to justice, said Patrick Kennell, co-chair of insurance coverage in New York and litigation practice at Kaufman ...