• Home
  • About Us
    • Our History & Accomplishments
    • Our Leader
    • LMA Gives
    • Photo Gallery
    • Library & Resources
  • Services
    • Assignment of Benefits & Insurance Litigation
    • Associations & Nonprofits
    • Business Development & Procurement
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
    • Emergency Management
    • Flood Insurance & Resilience
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance/Financial Services
    • Legislative & Regulatory Monitoring
    • Marketing Intelligence
    • Property & Casualty Insurance
    • Public Relations
  • Legislative Updates / News / Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our History & Accomplishments
    • Our Leader
    • LMA Gives
    • Photo Gallery
    • Library & Resources
  • Services
    • Assignment of Benefits & Insurance Litigation
    • Associations & Nonprofits
    • Business Development & Procurement
    • Education
    • Energy & Environment
    • Emergency Management
    • Flood Insurance & Resilience
    • Healthcare
    • Insurance/Financial Services
    • Legislative & Regulatory Monitoring
    • Marketing Intelligence
    • Property & Casualty Insurance
    • Public Relations
  • Legislative Updates / News / Podcasts
  • Contact
  • MENU

Morgan & Morgan Temper Tantrum

SHARE THIS

No longer playing nice?

Credit: CherylEDavis

After Governor DeSantis a week ago Friday signed tort reform bill HB 837 into law, some in the trial bar went into a bit of a meltdown, threatening to play hardball with the insurance industry, whom they blame for the bill rather than looking at their own. Lawyer-friendly publication Above the Law published Massive Plaintiffs Law Firm Decides To Play Hardball With Insurance Industry, which includes the full internal email from Matt Morgan (son of John) of the now nationwide Morgan & Morgan law firm. It reads, in part:

I want to make it unequivocally clear that we will not be giving an inch to carriers ever again… Under no circumstances will we be agreeing to any continuances, discovery extensions, or request to extend deadline to answer complaints.  We may want to help the human being defense attorney because we know them and maybe like them, but we will not because they work for an enemy who is heartless and ruthless. The enemy who just tried to kill us in FL.

Lest my gentle readers fret, please rest assured that “Lawyers will find ways to adapt,” said Alex Arteaga-Gomez, plaintiff attorney with the Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen firm in Miami, speaking to the Daily Business Review last week.

As trial lawyers often argue in court, facts are stubborn things.  The inconvenient truth is that Florida has 7% of the nation’s homeowners insurance claims yet 76% of the nation’s homeowners insurance lawsuits.  That comes from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.  Morgan & Morgan is throwing a temper-tantrum with their legal antics, filing mass lawsuits before the new tort reform law’s effective date and then refusing flexibility in allowing proper time needed to answer this tsunami of litigation.  They are simply proving their opponents’ case on why this tort reform was so desperately needed.  To paraphrase Shakespeare’s Hamlet, John Morgan, “Methinks thou dost protest too much.”  

This law should end the lawsuit-for-profit schemes crafted by greedy trial lawyers who’ve taken civil justice and turned it into a common commodity to be bought and sold to the detriment of the greater body of Florida’s taxpaying citizens and businesses. 

As to the question of when we can expect to see insurance rates come down, one of the goals of this recent tort reform and the 2022 insurance consumer protections and market reforms, Citizens Property Insurance Chairman Carlos Beruff addressed that with Citzens’ Board of Governors last week.  “I think it’s important…that when we’re communicating with the public, let them understand this isn’t a quick fix.  It’s going to take time.  The repercussions to the rates and getting the insurance market healthy, as we’ve discussed internally amongst us is going to take two to three years.  So it’s important to communicate that every chance we get so people don’t have expectations of immediate relief.  At the end of the day what we can control is customer service….we will endeavor to be the best at customer delivery and customer service in the state.”

Food for thought!   

LMA Newsletter of 4-3-23

SHARE THIS

Tags: Alex Arteaga-Gomez, Attorney Fees, attorneys, Carlos Beruff, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida Homeowners Insurance Market, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Florida Property Insurance, Insurance Litigation, John Morgan, Matt Morgan, Morgan & Morgan, Tort Reform

“Lisa this is another great newsletter, and we appreciate the time and energy you put into these informative updates – you are on top of these topics!”

Mike Graham, CEO
Smart Vent Products, Floodproofing.com, & Risk Reduction Plus
Juno Beach, FL

“Your newsletter is fabulous!  I greatly appreciate the topics you expose, so that insurance professionals like myself can keep up with the latest events that affect the public we serve and ourselves.”

Cynthia Hoehn, Independent Property & Casualty Personal Lines insurance agent
Clermont, FL

“Just a quick note to let you know how much I have appreciated your newsletter over the years and the assistance they offer for those in the field of claims. We depend on the information more than you will ever know!”

Laurie Rasberry, Chief Claims Officer
Acorn Claims
Prosper, Texas

“Thank you Lisa for staying on top of, as well as advocating, for Florida residents and legislative reform. Your newsletters are very informative and enjoy reading the points of view.”  

Shawna Miller, Sr. Claims Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager
Florida Peninsula Insurance Company
Jacksonville, FL

“Just wanted to say that I thoroughly love your newsletter. It’s is always informative and insightful to the ins and outs of our industry.  You are an inspiration and an important asset in the insurance world.  Keep up the great work!” 

Cynthia Scott, President
University Insurance Group
Davie, FL

“Another great Newsletter on Florida industry this week.  Your service and advocacy in Florida is very important to keeping me updated and apprised of the Florida insurance laws, trends and overall environment.  Something similar is very much needed in Louisiana, too.”

Jennifer Tedesco, Esq., Claims Director
Pharos Claims Services
Orlando, FL

“I have followed your weekly newsletter and podcasts and now have a full appreciation for what you bring to this industry.  You are an inspiring force, plain and simple.  I wanted you to know that you make a difference.  Thank you for all you do!”

Jeffrey Karam, CPCU
Bradenton, FL

“Lisa Miller is a true champion for the insurance industry, with her regular updates! We appreciate all you do and keeping us up to date on priority issues!”

Gillian Lloyd, Account Executive
Zywave
Milwaukee, WI

“Great article on Risk Rating 2.0!”

Austin Perez, Senior Policy Representative for Federal Housing, Valuation, Insurance and Commercial Issues
National Association of Realtors
Washington, D.C.

GET THE LATEST UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX FOR FREE!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

READ THE LATEST LMA NEWSLETTER ONLINE NOW

READ NOW

331 N. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 222-1041
[email protected]

*DBE certified through affiliate Lisa Miller Consultants

© Copyright 2008 - 2025
Lisa Miller Associates
All Rights Reserved
Managed by SiteBolts