Photo of Tred R. Eyerly

Tred once again was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Litigation-Insurance. He was also named Best Lawyers® 2022 Litigation Insurance “Lawyer of the Year” in Honolulu. A designation given to a single attorney in each practice group by metropolitan area.

    Plaintiff was a registered representative with Legacy Financial Services.  See Ganim v. Columbia Casualty Co., No. 08-3945, 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 16174 (6th Cir. July 23, 2009)[here].  Columbia insured Legacy and agreed to defend Legacy's registered representatives for negligence in "rendering or failure to render Professional Services."  Coverage was limited to "investment advisory

     A client's inquiry caused me to review the Hawai`i Life and Disability Guaranty Act ("Guaranty Association Act").  Haw. Rev. Stat. 431:16-201 to 219.  Here is a summary of Hawai`i's statute.
 
1)  Purpose of Statute.
 
     The statute seeks to protect persons against the failure of life and accident and health or sickness

  Whether the insured was acting within the course and scope of his employment contract was at issue when the Eighth Circuit Circuit reversed the District Court's determination of no workers' compensation coverage in Merriam v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, No. 08-3547, 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 15698 (8th Cir. July 17, 2009).

   When Hawai`i Insurance Commissioner J.P. Schmidt met with the Hawai`i Bar Association's Insurance Coverage Section on July 1, 2009, [see post here] he advised the State was considering use of the Hurricane Relief Fund to help close the budget deficit.

    Today's Honolulu Advertiser reports that this option is still under serious consideration by the Governor

      In National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa. v. Porter Hayden Co, No. AMD-03-23408, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61992 (D. Md. July 7, 2009), National Union contended that its insured, Porter Hayden, a debtor in bankruptcy, was not entitled to a defense or indemnity for asbestos-related claims. 

    Porter Hayden sold and

   The Fifth Circuit vacated and remanded the district court's conclusion that the insurer was not obligated to defend or indemnify an additional insured after sued by a person allegedly injured in the insured's casino when falling off a stool.  See Barden Mississippi Gaming LLC v. Great Northern Ins. Co., No. 08-60521, 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS