Start Sweating the Small Stuff: Keodalah v. Allstate Exposes Individual Claims Representatives To Liability

On March 26, 2018, the Washington State Court of Appeals held in a published and binding decision that an individual insurance claims professional may be liable for bad faith and Consumer Protection Act violations. This is a first decision of its kind in Washington, and could affect the national legal landscape of claims professional evaluations. The facts of the case provide a roadmap as to how the court came to its decision. On April 2, 2007, Moun Keodalah was driving his truck and came to a complete stop at a stop sign. As he began to cross the intersecting street, a motorcyclist crashed into the right side of Keodalah’s vehicle.