Bill Chapman captained and led an outstanding Melick & Porter team of Diana Pires, Bill Rose, Rick Heifetz, and Jim Scamby to two summary judgment victories for our insurance agency client in a multi-million dollar claim. The case arose out of a catastrophic fire that destroyed the historic Masonic Temple building in Quincy. The building owner and its renovation contractor sued the agency for breach of contract, negligence, indemnification, and Chapter 93A based upon the agency’s issuance of a certificate of insurance. The plaintiff sought $20 million, which it argued should be trebled under Chapter 93A, and even sought to hold the agency’s principal personally liable. The court allowed our motion against the property owner as well as our separate motion against the contractor/agency client. After a four hour argument in the Norfolk Superior Court, the court agreed with our argument that no duty was owed to the owner as a third party beneficiary, and that no duty was owed or breached to the contractor/agency client. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist you, your company, or your insureds.
