There is no bigger sporting event in the U.S. than the Super Bowl.  On Sunday, Feb. 7, Super Bowl LV will take place in our own backyard.  Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers, in Tampa, Florida.  

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the first NFL team to play the big game in their home stadium.  The Bucs will face-off against the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.  Full disclosure:  CBTG Founder and Partner Ted Corless is a longtime, proud member of #ChiefsKingdom.  

Bucs quarterback Tom Brady looks to capture a seventh ring in his NFL-record 10th Super Bowl appearance while Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to go back to back as the youngest QB to appear in consecutive Super Bowls.

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the first team in league history to host the Super Bowl, they won’t have a home-field advantage.  Raymond James Stadium, where the Bucs play, features a large pirate ship which fires off multiple rounds from cannons when the team scores a touchdown. However, in an effort to make the site as neutral as possible, the NFL has informed Tampa Bay that the team will not be allowed to fire cannons during the game. 

The Face Mask Rule

The big game is set against the backdrop of a raging pandemic with new strains emerging every day.  Tampa, a city of 388,000, has had more than 55,000 coronavirus cases. To stop the spread of COVID-19, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (D) issued an executive order making masks required outside Super Bowl event areas such as downtown, the Riverwalk, Ybor City, Channel District, and neighborhoods around Raymond James Stadium.  Face masks will also be required to attend the game, as well as for all those who pass through Tampa International Airport. 

Touchdown 

Corless Barfield Trial Group is a high-stakes insurance dispute and property damage law firm located in Tampa.  We advocate on behalf of insureds throughout Florida, and aggressively represent policyholders whose insurance claims have been underpaid, delayed or denied.  

We work as one team from the office and remotely in order to offer clients the best of both worlds in the age of coronavirus. With safety measures firmly in place, our office at 6812 W. Linebaugh Ave. remains a vibrant and vital space for collaboration, client meetings, Continuing Education classes, hearings, as well as mediation, arbitration, and trials.  Our goal is always the same:  Help solve your toughest and most complex legal issues …. wherever you are.

You can’t play today’s game with yesterday’s rules.  We are devoting the full breadth of our combined capabilities, skills, and experience to help clients through their insurance claims and lawsuits.  CBTG continues to adapt to a virtual courtroom.  If you believe you could benefit from speaking to a lawyer about your insurance dispute or property damage claim, please call us at 813-258-4998.   We’re open and available 365 days a year. 

Game Plan 

We want you to have a safe game plan for the Super Bowl.  The Super Bowl is the No. 1 at-home party event of the year but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has consistently warned against hosting large, indoor gatherings with people you don’t live with.  Remember to wear masks; stay 6 feet apart; use hand sanitizer; avoid crowds and poorly ventilated places; and wash your hands.  Taking precautions today can significantly help you tomorrow.  

Corless Barfield Trial Group continues its mission to actively give back to the Tampa, Florida community.  As part of our core values, we are devoted to various philanthropic missions and volunteer opportunities.  Recently, CBTG hosted a COVID-19 safe holiday meal for the residents of Rose Harbor Apartments located in the Citrus Park/Carrollwood area of Hillsborough County. 

“We looked outside our front door to see who could use our help.  There are opportunities everywhere in one’s community to do good and help others.  That’s a guiding principle at CBTG,” remarked Ted Corless, Founder and Partner of CBTG.  

In fact, it has been a year of giving for Team CBTG.  Once the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, CBTG donated more than 10,000 KN95 masks through our #MaskMission campaign to those in need.  CBTG’s North Star is to serve those underserved and underrepresented in Tampa and beyond. 

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the elderly significantly.  On December 22, CBTG teamed with Carrabba’s Italian Grill to serve meals from Carrabba’s Italian Grill to the elderly residents of Rose Harbor Apartments. 

“In this time of need, we are proud to support the most vulnerable populations by safely delivering nourishing meals,” noted Mr. Corless.  “I was thrilled that the crew at Carrabba’s was as enthusiastic as they were about teaming up and taking care of these families in our shared community.”

An enormous debt of gratitude is owed to Carrabba’s Italian Grill (located at 11902 Sheldon Rd, Tampa, Florida) and Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. who worked with Team CBTG to prepare and deliver healthy, tasty, and hot meals to residents.  “We couldn’t have done it without them.  They made this meal mission a soaring success,” exclaimed Mr. Corless.  

The residents, most of them aged 70 and older, feasted on perfectly seasoned pasta, grilled chicken breast, Caesar salad, and assorted fresh vegetables.  “The residents were extremely happy and grateful to CBTG.  They asked, ‘Where can I send a thank you note?’” recounted Mr. Corless. “Comfort food always warms one’s heart and stomach.”

‘Tis the season for giving.  Take care of those in your community. “These people needed fresh, homemade, and nutritious meals.  We talked to the residents and asked them how they were doing.  I think we were able to make their holidays just a bit brighter,” enthused Mr. Corless.

Not only did Team CBTG deliver 100 meals to those most vulnerable individuals, but we were able to contribute to the restaurant industry that has been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Restaurants have been forced to adapt to a takeout-only climate, with drive-thrus and curbside service.  Where and when you can, please support restaurants.  Tip generously, purchase gift cards, and order takeout or delivery. 

Corless Barfield Trial Group is a high-stakes insurance disputes trial law firm based in Tampa, Florida.  Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks on the creative, charitable ways we’re giving back to the community. 

Repealing PIP, a state study found, could save Floridians $81 per car per year, nearly $1 billion collectively. Lawmakers for years have debated whether to get rid of the PIP system, which requires motorists to carry $10,000 in PIP coverage to help pay medical bills after accidents.

Floridians pay the nation’s third-highest car insurance rates despite state roads being relatively straight, flat, and snow/ice-free. 

PIP repeal bills are working through committees, with sponsors citing tweaks that make them more appealing to insurers, physicians, and hospitals that have vigorously opposed past reform attempts.

The proposal, at least for now, appears stalled in the Senate over a proposed amendment designed to restrict “bad faith” lawsuits, which involve allegations that insurers have not properly looked out for the interests of their customers (policyholders).  

Unfortunately, insurers regularly engage in bad faith behavior and practices.  Accident victims and policyholders must have a mechanism to hold bad faith insurers accountable. 

The law states that your insurance company must treat you fairly and honestly when evaluating the validity of your claim, and settle claims against you if it can do so within the coverage limit.  

If you are currently facing problems with your insurance company, you should get in touch with the insurance claim attorneys at Corless Barfield Trial Group.  Insurers look to delay, deny or underpay valid personal injury and property damage claims all the time. We will help you fight back against an insurer’s illegal tactics.  Please call our office at 813-258-4998 for a free and confidential case evaluation. 

Insurance companies are expected to act in “good faith” when resolving, examining, and settling claims made against their policyholders. Yet in many situations, insurance companies act in defiance of the law, which is why you need an attorney representing your rights. 

What type of activity illustrates bad faith? The following actions on the part of your insurance company may serve as the basis for prohibited bad faith conduct:

• fails to pay or settle a claim within policy limits without a reasonable basis; 
• fails to properly and promptly investigate or defend a claim; 
• fails to provide justification for denying a claim; 
• offers inconsistent or baseless interpretations of the policy; 
• uses deceptive practices or intentional misrepresentations to avoid paying claims; 
• terminates a claim that should have been paid; or 
• fails to offer the full value of a claim’s worth, or giving an unreasonably low offer to compensate damages.

It should come as no surprise that insurers have sought for years to put more restrictions on bad faith lawsuits and have attempted to tie it to no-fault auto insurance, as they are doing here when it comes to repealing PIP coverage. 

Corless Barfield Trial Group has secured record-setting judgments against insurance companies that refused to protect their insureds by properly evaluating the claims against them.  Our attorneys have successfully tried countless bad faith claims. Our goal as personal injury and property damage lawyers is to ensure the insurance company does not wrongfully deny your claim for full and just compensation. For your no-obligation, case consultation, call Corless Barfield at 813-258-4998. 

HB 107 makes driving while texting a primary offense, meaning law enforcement can stop motorists for just that offense.  (There will be a six-month grace period where only citations will be issued.) Prior to the new law, texting while driving was a secondary offense that officers could only cite drivers for after pulling them over for a different violation. In the past, law enforcement needed to see a driver weave, speed, or engage in any other traffic violation.  

Also, the law bans the use of handheld wireless devices in school and construction zones. The ban doesn’t apply to drivers using a navigation device or texting while not moving.

A first offense is punishable by a $30 fine, with a second costing $60 and 3 points added to your license. Court costs and fees also would apply.

Were you injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver?  If you or a loved one has sustained a serious or catastrophic injury caused by a driver who was texting or otherwise distracted, you should contact a personal injury attorney that specializes in texting and driving car accidents as soon as possible. 

At Corless Barfield Trial Group, our personal injury lawyers have helped countless clients who were injured in texting while driving accidents. We can provide the legal counsel and effective advocacy you need to successfully pursue a claim against a negligent driver. Contact us at 813-258-4998 for a free consultation. 

The seriousness of texting while driving cannot be understated:  Studies have shown that texting while driving poses a comparable or greater car accident risk than drunk driving. Watch Corless Barfield Trial Group’s John Mulvihill discuss these important studies.

If you believe distracted driving was a factor in your injury-causing motor vehicle accident, it is crucial to contact an attorney who will seek maximum compensation for you. Corless Barfield Trial Group helps victims of car accidents caused by distracted drivers. We aid accident victims throughout the Tampa Bay area. For an experienced texting while driving attorney, call us now at 813-258-4998. 

Whether big or small, sinkholes remain geological phenomena that regularly occurs in Florida.  Did a sinkhole loss occur or how do we repair sinkholes when they do occur are questions we get asked all the time.  Corless Barfield Trial Group brings our extensive experience, which includes a comprehensive understanding of the legal and engineering issues associated with sinkholes, to our client’s cases.  

Below are important sinkhole warning signs. If you are experiencing a number of the signs described below, please contact a professional. If you have questions about sinkhole activity, insurance, or property damage call Corless Barfield Trial Group at 813-258-4998.

Fall Between the Cracks:  In the event you have sinkhole activity, you could see cracks forming in your walls, especially where walls and ceilings meet as well as around doors and windows.  You may notice cracks in tile grout, laminate, linoleum, or flooring. Be aware of new or growing cracks. If you live in a community managed association, each building on your property should be annually inspected for the common signs of sinkhole loss.

Mind the Gap: Walls and ceilings with gaps or separation could indicate a sinkhole.  Specifically, look for cracks in your interior walls and on the ceilings. Trim and molding that’s pulling away is another sign of sinkhole activity. If you notice slanting or see warping, these issues may be sinkhole related.

Nature Calls:  There are numerous sinkhole warning signs to look for around the outside of your house, too.  Inspect your fence posts and trees for sagging or slanting. Small ponds of water are a sign of sinkhole activity, especially if water has never collected there before.  

Love Thy Neighbor:  If you see any of the signs mentioned above, ask your neighbors if they’ve had sinkhole activity.  Additionally, check with your emergency management office and weather offices about sinkhole activity in the area. In Florida, the Geological Survey office records and tracks sinkhole events.  

Corless Barfield Trial Group brings a unique, valuable perspective of representing policyholders against some of the nation’s most powerful insurance companies.  

Our property damage insurance lawyers, Ted Corless, Morgan Barfield, and Mary Catherine Lamoureux are leaders in the legal community on these issues. We represent insureds in sinkhole damage claims but also in claims arising from hurricane and other windstorm activity (e.g. tornado, microburst, hail, etc.). Corless Barfield represents clients at all levels of insurance issues, from claim management through value appraisal and arbitration.  

For denied claims, Corless, Barfield, and Lamoureux can document record-setting verdicts against the largest insurers, from discovery through verdict and appeals. To learn more about how we can help you with sinkhole and windstorm losses, please contact our law firm today at 813-258-4998.

If you’re thinking of suing an insurance company for bad faith, it’s important that you understand what that means. You need to understand what services an insurance company is responsible for providing and how to know if they’re failing the expectations set. It’s understandable – we pay these companies hundreds of dollars a month and trust that when the going gets rough, they’ll be there for us. So what is a bad faith lawsuit, and how do you know if you should pursue one?

What does bad faith mean?

A bad faith lawsuit occurs after another attempted lawsuit. For example, say you’re involved in a major car accident, and file a claim with your insurance company. Once you’ve filed the claim, provided them with all the information they ask for, and essentially wait your turn in the queue, your insurance company is responsible for two things:

1. Offering and providing a reasonable settlement
2. Doing so in a timely manner

Essentially, the theory is that insurance companies have a duty to negotiate in good faith, and should settle claims in a timely manner for appropriate amounts.  If the insurance company does not settle when it should have settled, and the injured person goes to trial and the jury awards an amount greater than the insurance policy limits, the law might look to the insurance company and question why the insurance company made the person go to trial and failed to settle the case earlier.

What is a bad faith lawsuit?

A bad faith lawsuit is a separate lawsuit against an insurance company for not settling cases when they should settle them, and these bad faith lawsuits can often result in verdicts that are much higher than the underlying personal injury lawsuits.  This area of the law is intended to encourage insurance companies to “do the right thing” during settlement negotiations.  Specifically, once the insurance company has sufficient information to know it should pay the policy limits, the insurance company is required to pay the insurance limits to the injured person.  If the insurance company does not pay the insurance limits when it should have paid the limits, then the insurance company is said to have acted in bad faith, and is subject to a separate “bad faith” lawsuit for failing to pay a claim in a timely fashion.

Of course, the question then becomes, when and under what circumstances does an insurance company have enough information to pay the insurance limits on a claim?  And moreover, what constitutes a timely payment?  This is what an insured brings to the court to decide when suing an insurance company for bad faith, and hopefully force the insurance company’s hand in making a timely, reasonable decision.

If you find yourself in a position where you’re questioning the dependability of your insurance company, contact Corless Barfield for a free consultation.