A prominent Seattle-based general contractor was sued relating to roof issues at a mixed-use project in South Lake Union. The general contractor’s liability insurer defended the lawsuit and paid to resolve it, but denied the general contractor’s claim under the Policy’s “Supplementary Payment” provision for reimbursement of its own costs…
A local youth sports club and its Board of Directors were sued by a player alleging sexual abuse committed by the spouse of a former Board member. In 2023, the club’s liability insurance company filed a lawsuit against the local youth sports club. In the lawsuit, the insurance company sought…
A leading manufacturer of steel building products agreed to provide complete design and engineering as well as labor and materials to construct five pre-engineered metal buildings in Snohomish, Washington. After a dispute arose with the Project Owner over allegedly defective and non-conforming work, the manufacturer sought insurance coverage from its…
A church faced a sexual abuse lawsuit many years after an employee committed sex crimes against a minor parishioner. The church then sought insurance coverage from one of its liability insurers to defend and indemnify against the lawsuit. The liability insurance company sought to limit its insurance coverage for the…
After a tenant passed away in one of its properties, a landlord discovered several incomplete and unauthorized modifications made by the tenant which compromised the structural integrity of the building. The landlord’s property insurer denied coverage, asserting that the modifications were did not constitute covered vandalism because the modifications were…
Former board members and staff representatives of a membership-based, not-for-profit Cooperative were sued over a board resolution that many of the Cooperative’s members opposed. The Cooperative’s Directors and Officers insurer refused to defend the former board members and representatives based on information that was not in the complaint—the insurer had…
A home located on Perkins Lane in Magnolia was damaged by a large set of concrete stairs that was negligently dropped by a contractor on a steep hillside above the home. The homeowner’s property insurer paid for some, but not all, of the damage. When the homeowner sued to the…
A liability insurer failed to take a coverage position for over a year after its policyholder requested a defense. Two weeks after being sued, the insurer offered to defend, then argued its belated offer “cured” any breach of its duty to defend. On summary judgment, a Western District of Washington…
In 2016, the President of the Board of a large condominium contacted the firm, initially inquiring whether insurance would cover water damage to 80,000 square feet of roof structure. Investigation revealed that the water intrusion was caused by the defective work of the roofing contractor that installed the roofing system…
In 2014, a local equipment rental business was sued in an environmental lawsuit involving the cleanup of hazardous materials that had purportedly been released as far back as the 1950s. The business retained Harper | Hayes, which secured a dismissal of the cleanup lawsuit and brought a separate coverage lawsuit…