Commercial General Liability

Cope Ehlers, P.C. attorneys have extensive experience in litigating and resolving the wide-ranging scope of coverage issues that arise under commercial general liability insurance policies, at both the primary and excess levels. Our experience encompasses a broad range of claims under general liability insurance products, from single-party negligence claims to complicated multi-claimant, long-tail tort exposures. Illustrative examples of coverage issues include claim involving bodily injury, property damage, personal and advertising injury, and medical expense claims. We regularly counsel insurers on general liability coverage issues, including the determination of whether a duty to defend exists, trigger of coverage, number of occurrences, resolution of claims involving multiple insureds, and issues arising from potential extracontractual liability.

Cope Ehlers, P.C. has advised its insurance company clients on numerous general liability issues, including:

The duty to defend

• Trigger of coverage and allocation
• “Targeted” tender issues in Illinois
• The right to independent counsel
• The right to reimbursement of defense costs
• Number of occurrences
• Coverage for emotional injury / mental distress
• Application of the pollution exclusion
• “Bad faith” and extracontractual liability