Former agents awarded $20M in case against State Farm - Law Firm Stueve Siegel Hanson Attorneys Kansas City, Missouri: "Verdicts & Settlements Plus
By Anne C. Vitale
Five former State Farm insurance agents who claimed that they were terminated after publicly speaking out about the company's management practices have won $20 million in their Jackson County breach of contract and tortious interference with business relations case against State Farm. The verdict is reported to be the county's second-largest this year.
'These were independent contractor agents with an average tenure of 24 years who each ran very successful agencies,' said Norman E. Siegel of Kansas City, who represented the plaintiffs with his partner, George A. Hanson. 'The agents spoke out after a series of verdicts and settlements against State Farm that called into question State Farm management's treatment of policyholders.'
State Farm argued that there was no need for the agents to go public with their criticisms, and that they could terminate the agents at-will. But the agents maintained that they were compelled to go public to counter the company's 'spin' on the multi-million dollar lawsuits.
Although his small Kansas City firm was taking on the nation's largest insurance company, Siegel said he did not feel like the underdog because 'technology has substantially leveled the playing field.'"
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