Community, News & Events
$14.7 MILLION VERDICT IN AUTO BODY CLASS ACTION LAWSUITSTAMFORD, Connecticut, November 17, 2009 - A Superior Court jury in Stamford awarded $14.7 million to a class of auto body repair shops after finding that The Hartford Fire Insurance Co. (The Hartford) engaged in unfair business practices. A class action lawsuit was filed in 2003 by The Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC), Artie's Auto Body of Fairfield, A&R Body Specialty and Skrip's Auto Body, alleging that The Hartford engaged in a pattern of unfair practices that violated Connecticut law. The allegations against The Hartford were supported in large part by The Hartford's own documents, including internal memoranda detailing company policies, as well as damaging testimony by The Hartford's own employees. After four weeks of evidence and testimony, the jury found that The Hartford artificially suppressed labor rates by eliminating the use of independent appraisers and relying exclusively on its own automobile service representatives to perform appraisals. The Hartford sought to control the entire appraisal process, including the labor rates charged by auto body shops. As a result of this conduct, consumers were not getting fair, independent appraisals of the damage to their automobiles, and the auto body shops that were not getting paid a fair labor rate for their highly skilled work. Attorney David Slossberg of Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg and Knuff, co-counsel and lead trial counsel for ABAC, said that he and the plaintiffs are "thrilled the jury found that The Hartford has committed the unfair trade practice of suppressing labor rates. This lawsuit was an attempt to change the way business is done in this industry. The jury's verdict is a major victory toward that end." Attorney Slossberg added that "while we are gratified by the jury's damages award, this case has always been about changing the way The Hartford and other insurance companies do business. The Hartford directs business to a closed network of direct repair shops, in exchange for concessions to charge lower labor rates and give parts discounts. The Hartford then uses these direct repair shops as a hammer to force independent body shops to do the work for these same lower rates by forcing their appraisers to tell independent body shops that the work can be done down the street at one of its direct repair shops if the independent shop does not do the work at the lower rates." "The next step," according to Attorney Slossberg "is to ask the court for immediate injunctive relief to eliminate the unfair trade practices. Our team is looking forward to crafting that request." For more information, please contact Attorney David A. Slossberg at 203-877-8000. November 21, 2007At the Federal Bar Council's 2007 Thanksgiving luncheon, David A. Slossberg was installed to the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Foundation. David has been active with the Connecticut section of the Federal Bar Council since 2001, and continues to serve as Chairman of the Connecticut Section of the Federal Bar Council. Nominations for officers, trustees and directors of the Federal Bar Council and Federal Bar Foundation were received and approved before a crowd of over 1,500 at the November 21, 2007 luncheon, held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Sagarin and Slossberg named Super Lawyers 2007HSS&K is proud to announce that in the February, 2007 issues of Connecticut magazine and Connecticut Super Lawyers magazine, attorneys J. Daniel Sagarin and David A. Slossberg were chosen by their peers as two of the top litigators in the state of Connecticut. J. Daniel Sagarin and David A. Slossberg were again chosen as two of the top litigators in New England in the November, 2007 issue The New England Super Lawyers magazine. Congratulations to both. January 18, 2006 - TWO PARTNERS HONORED BY LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCEIn Milford since 1967, Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff plays an active role in the Milford business community and in the Milford Chamber of Commerce. Our attorneys have a deep commitment to both the community and to the success of local business. In recognition of their contributions, two of our partners, Lewis A. Hurwitz and David A. Slossberg, were recently honored at the Milford Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting and Awards of Distinction. Lew Hurwitz, practicing in Milford since 1962, was honored by the Chamber with a lifetime achievement award. Mr. Hurwitz has served the City of Milford in various capacities, including Assistant City Attorney. He has served on the Representative Policy Board of South Central Regional Water Authority and the Eisenhower Park Committee. His contributions to the City and the community were "applauded and recognized as extraordinary" by the Chamber.
David Slossberg, a partner with the firm since 1997, was the recipient of the Director of the Year award. Always active in the community, Mr. Slossberg is a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, chairperson of the Membership & Benefits Committee, and an active member of the Devon (Milford) Rotary Club and Milford Bar Associations. The awards were presented at the Annual Meeting and Awards of Distinction ceremony on January 18, 2006 by State Senator Gayle Slossberg and State Representative Richard Roy.
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