An insurance provider has recently been named in a suit filed by a hospital which claimed it lost millions due to the provider refusing to cover losses attributed to the coronavirus pandemic. The suit, filed in March 2021 IN Essex County Superior Court, filed by RWJ Barnabas, alleges that over 1,000 individuals, both staff and patients contracted COVID-19, leading to the death of over 9 workers attached to the hospital.
The suit also goes on to state that the virus attaches to surfaces on the hospital premises, and alters air in countless buildings, which shows clear evidence of causing physical damage to premises. The group owns over 10 hospitals in New Jersey, and has over 32,000 individuals on payroll, with 9,000 of these being doctors.
Zurich American Insurance Company Hit With COVID-19 Suit
The insurance company named in the suit is Zurich American Insurance Company, and it offered the hospital group its Zurich EDGE Healthcare Policy which would have hypothetically paid out $2.5 billion per occurrence when it comes to damages caused by COVID-19 and other outbreaks.
According to information gleaned from the suit, viruses were not excluded from the contract at the time of signing. It is also interesting to note that Zurich deleted “illness causing agent, or viruses, or disease causing compound” and added “contaminants” but only mentioned irritants due to vapor, acids, smoke, soot and the like. Barnabas claimed that the insurance company has known, or should have known for many years that the policy may one day be called upon to put forth full limits payments to the tune of $2.5 billion dollars for damages caused by pandemics and viruses.
RWJ Barnabas Seeking Billions in Coronavirus Losses
A spokeswoman for RWJ Barnabas said that the lawsuit was filed in order to protect the group’s rights in the event there would be future discussions with Zurich. Robyn Ziegler, Zurich spokeswoman, declined to comment as litigation was ongoing.
COVID-19 Insurance Claims – Can I File a Business Claim?
Many businesses across the country are heading to court to file legal claims in order to get insurance companies to pay up for damages and losses incurred by the COVID-19 virus. However, many of these claims have been shot down because Judges have failed to see concrete ways in which the virus has physically altered the different business premises. However, the future is unknown, and should a case win out, a precedent will be set, opening the gates for similar cases to be tried and businesses compensated as per legal judgments.
COVID-19 Insurance Lawsuit Help – Call Us Today!
Are you looking to file a COVID-19 insurance company lawsuit? Please give us a call NOW at (773) 322-1673 to learn more about your legal options for compensation. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you.