Grover and Versichelli Win Dismissal of Plaintiff’s Bad Faith Claim

Keith Grover and Michael Versichelli won dismissal of two causes of action against our client, State Farm, in a lawsuit for underinsured motorist benefits.  The Supreme Court granted State Farm’s pre-answer motion and dismissed plaintiffs’ second and third causes of action, for bad faith and breach of State Farm’s “absolute duties and obligations,” respectively.  The court held that such causes of action are duplicative of plaintiffs’ first cause of action for breach of contract, and provide no basis for extra-contractual recovery.