Businesses often confront disputes that go beyond a breach of contract action. For example, a competitor may have spread false information about a business for the purpose of securing a contract that is out for bid. A trusted employee may have obtained employment with a competitor and, in the process of leaving, secretly took confidential information, trade secrets or customer lists. Or, a business may find itself defending claims arising out of its advertising, meritorious or otherwise, such as that its advertising materials violate another’s copyrights or, worse, are misleading and allegedly constitute consumer fraud. All of this conduct may be actionable in the body of law known as tort law, which is essentially any civil claim, meaning that it is not being prosecuted in a criminal court, that is not for breach of contract.

Whether you face such claims as a plaintiff or a defendant, it is important to recognize that there may be insurance available for some of these claims. As a plaintiff, the existence of insurance has many important ramifications. However, perhaps the most important ramification is that there may be funds outside of corporate assets to satisfy the claim. As a defendant, the existence of insurance is important for this reason, but also because the insurance company may have a duty to defend the claim, meaning that it must supply a lawyer and must pay the cost and expenses incurred in connection with the claim. Importantly, most insurance policies contain clauses that impact the availability of insurance, such as the duty to timely notify the insurer of the claim and, in some cases, the failure to comply with these provisions may result in the loss of policy benefits that otherwise could have been available.

The attorneys at The Howard Law Firm llc have substantial experience successfully representing businesses in a wide array of business tort actions, and its attorneys are intimately familiar with the insurance related aspects of such claims. If you believe that you have a business tort claim against another person or business, or if you confront such a claim that has been brought against you or your business, The Howard Law Firm llc can help you. Please call us right away for a free consultation.