A WIN FOR POTTS LAW FIRM | COVID-19 CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT
A few weeks ago, we talked about COVID-19 and how it has affected travel for many around the United States. Our firm recently won an argument in front of the Judicial Panel for Multidistrict Litigation relating to COVID-19 class actions. Before getting into how we won, let us begin with some background on the litigation.
What is Multidistrict Litigation (MDL)?
MDL stands for Multidistrict Litigation (MDL). The procedure was created in the 1960s by Congress to coordinate federal litigations filed in multiple districts. When there are multiple lawsuits filed across the nation for the same (or similar) reasons the acting attorneys can go in front of the Judicial Panel of Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to create an MDL. MDLs save time and money by consolidating the lawsuits into one court. There are two battles a plaintiff must win at the JPML meetings. The first is convincing the Panel that the COVID-19 class action lawsuits need to be consolidated and centralized in one Court. The second fight is about which Court the centralized MDL will be sent to.
In July 2020, our firm filed a class action lawsuit against Generali Insurance for refusing to cover canceled trips that were covered by the company’s insurance policies. Specifically, vacationers who canceled their VRBO rentals due to the pandemic were being denied their insurance coverage. Derek Potts, founder, and managing partner of The Potts Law Firm argued in front of the JPML and fought for the centralization of all the class actions that have been filed.
We are proud to report that the Panel agreed with Mr. Potts’ arguments and centralized the actions into one Court. The multiple class actions will be sent to the Southern District of New York in front of the Honorable John G. Koeltl.
The Potts Law Firm will now appear in front of Judge Koeltl. We will request to be appointed as Leaders of the entire MDL.
If you have questions about this our COVID-19 class action lawsuits or want to learn more about us, contact the Potts Law Firm.
Contact us online to schedule a consultation or give us a call at (888) 902-6245.