HAMMEL V. STATE FARM: 3 ZUNIGA DECLARATIONS

HAMMEL V. STATE FARM: 3 ZUNIGA DECLARATIONS: "Pursuant to the terms of the company
policy a 'minor impact' or 'low damager' designation was
applied to cases where the amount of property damage to
the insured's vehicle was 'minimal' (usually $500.00 or
less). When a case was so categorized, State Farm would
take a 'hard ball' position regardless of the merits of
the claim, refuse to make any reasonable settlement
offer and force the matter to a formal arbitration or
litigation. In addition, in order to make handling such
claims for plaintiffs as costly as possible, State Farm
would require its attorney to employ formal discovery
devices, retain biomechanical experts and accident
reconstructionists in all of these 'low damager' cases."

(click link for complete article)