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  • PINTO*: THE BIG, FAT INSURANCE BAD FAITH CASE THAT WASN’T * Pinto v. Farmers Insurance Exchange (2021) 61 Cal.App.5 th 676 By Mark E. Hancock It might take a lawyer who represents Clients in breach of contract/bad faith cases against insurance companies and defends them in Cumis Counsel cases to agree with Farmers that they were not guilty of bad faith in the Pinto case. Bad faith is ...
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  • WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE, SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE GANDER by Mark E. Hancock The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) is federal law that governs claims for disability coverage under many plans and policies that employees have by virtue of their employment. From the perspective of such employee/claimants, it is not really great law for a number of reasons. For ...
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  • TOP TIPS FOR AVOIDING TROUBLE WITH YOUR CLAIM FOR SHORT AND/OR LONG-TERM DISABILITY One of the things we love doing at the Law Offices of Mark E. Hancock is helping disabled people obtain the short term and long term benefits they deserve and paid for and/or earned through the hard work they put in before becoming disabled. We have successfully helped people recover benefits under short term and ...
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  • MAKING A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM FOR LONG-TERM DISABILITY

    || 15-Jun-2022

    MAKING A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM FOR LONG-TERM DISABILITY by Mark E. Hancock In a prior post, I discussed the importance of obtaining long term disability coverage in light of the real possibility that one may become disabled before normal retirement age. In this article, I am going to assume that, because of an injury or sickness, you need to make a claim under that coverage. What preparations should be ...
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  • PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DISABILITY

    || 7-Jun-2022

    Check out Attorney Hancock's latest article published in the June 2022 edition of Citations, the official publication of the VENTURA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION: https://www.hancockthelawyer.com/documents/June-Citations-2022.pdf
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  • PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DISABILITY

    || 29-Apr-2022

    PLANNING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DISABILITY No one intends to become disabled, but it happens. According to the Council for Disability Awareness, just over 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled before they would otherwise retire. ( chances of disability - Council for Disability Awareness: Prevention, Financial Planning, Resources and Information (disabilitycanhappen.org) ...
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  • WHEN DOES MY STATUTE EXPIRE? LET ME COUNT THE DAYS.

    || 8-Mar-2022

    WHEN DOES MY STATUTE EXPIRE? LET ME COUNT THE DAYS. by Mark E. Hancock A brief visit to legal websites like Avvo.com will demonstrate that there is some confusion among practitioners about just when a statute of limitations will expire. Two schools of thought have been: counting the days and the anniversary method. Now, thanks to the California Supreme Court and its decision in Shalabi v. City of ...
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  • CONTINUING COURT JURISDICTION TO ENFORCE A SETTLEMENT v. CONDITIONAL SETTLEMENT, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? by Mark E. Hancock You’ve reached a settlement, but wonder if the other side will honor the agreement. It’s not a simple money for release and dismissal settlement. The other side has promised to do things that will take time. You’d like to have options other than paying to ...
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  • The Thomas Fire has truly been a catastrophic event in Ventura County. As of the date of this article, 800 structures have been burned, impacting many residents, psychologically and economically. Homeowner’s insurance can help with some of the economic impact and this article addresses some of the ways it can help. The plan is to follow it up with articles addressing the dwelling and ...
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  • Practical Practice Pointers: Uninsured Motorist Insurance

    || 11-Dec-2017

    Mark E. Hancock recently wrote an article titled "Practical Practice Pointers: Uninsured Motorist Insurance" for the Ventura County Bar Association about the importance of being covered. Find the full article here, to learn more about some important tips.
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  • Mark Hancock Interviewed by KPPC Radio On Fire Insurance Property Claims

    || 11-Dec-2017

    Mark E. Hancock was recently interviewd by KPCC Radio 89.3 on the topic of fire insurance property claims in light of Southern California's recent brush fires. Follow the link for the full interview here, and to learn more.
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  • STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE (AND AFTER) A LOSS TO HELP WITH A FIRE INSURANCE CLAIM

    || 11-Dec-2017

    The first, and most basic, thing to do to help with an insurance claim is to make sure you buy and maintain insurance on your home and property. Keep the policy and endorsements and amendments in a safe deposit box, so they don’t burn up. If your policy was destroyed, then ask your insurance agent or company for a certified copy right away. You have to do this because policies are different, ...
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  • INSURANCE POLICY INTERPRETATION: A CASE STUDY

    || 2-May-2016

    Since insurance policies were first invented, there have been disputes over how they should be interpreted and, given the stakes, the disputes can wind up in court. If your insurance company tells you that your policy does not cover your loss, you certainly are entitled to, and may want to consider, running the situation by a lawyer. The recent case of Ong v. Fire Insurance Exchange (2015) 235 ...
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  • DON'T LET JUNIOR DRIVE "YOUR" VEHICLE WITHOUT INSURANCE

    || 29-Apr-2016

    It’s certainly appropriate to consult with an attorney when an insurance company tells you that the claim you made, under the insurance you purchased, is not covered, but it is also important to remember that you can help your own cause by paying for coverage in the first place. The case of Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. v. Shimon (2015) (243 Cal. App. 4th 29.) points out that it certainly can ...
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  • Many people wait too long before hiring an attorney, either because they hope the matter will resolve itself, or because they hope to save money. Waiting too long to see an attorney may, ironically, increase the Client's expenses and reduce the Client's chances of recovering. This is particularly true with regard to disability coverage under plans and policies people obtain through ...
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