Steven M. Sweat, is a founding partner with the Los Angeles based personal injury law firm of Steven M. Sweat, APC. The firm is primarily a civil litigation practice
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Many people don’t know that there are so-called “burning” insurance policies or “burning limits” or “defense within limits” policies. What this means is that the cost of defense (including hourly fees for attorneys to defend the lawsuit, expert consultants and witnesses, and all other costs of defending a claim) reduce the total limit of coverage.…
Uninsured motorists are a major problem across the U.S. according to many recent studies including one conducted by the Insurance Research Council. The most recent report, entitled, “Uninsured Motorists, 2014 Edition”, concluded, based upon their research, that the problem of drivers operating motor vehicles without insurance has grown steadily worse in the last several years.…
In just about every U.S. jurisdiction, including California, insurance carriers have a duty to settle legitimate claims for the policy limits or face potential legal exposure if the person bringing the claim obtains a verdict or award in an amount higher than the coverage limits. For example, California Insurance Code 790(h)(5) requires insurers “in good…
As we all know, the minute you drive a new car off the lot, it begins to depreciate and continues to decline in value as more miles are put on the vehicle. In fact, it is estimated that a new car can lose up to 10 percent of its value as the tires hit the…
One question that seems to come up quite often to me is how pre-existing medical conditions affect an auto accident claim. Oftentimes, clients come to me after their claim has been denied or some, nominal settlement offer has been made and elicit my help in getting to the bottom of this issue. Auto insurance claims…
The spring and summer months bring out the motorcycle enthusiasts “in earnest”. Riding a bike on the open road can be one of the most exhilarating experiences one can enjoy. As with any other type of activity, though, motorcycle riding is not without risk. In fact, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety…
In every state in the U.S. from California to Rhode Island, every driver of a motor vehicle is required to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance coverage for liability for personal injury or property damage. Coverage is stated in terms of the limits for claims for personal injury presented by a single claimant, limits…