ORLANDO – An Osceola County resident claims she was injured in an accident and is accusing an insurer of civil conspiracy.
Jennifer Stafford filed a complaint on Jan. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division against Alfa Vision Insurance Corp., Alfa Mutual Insurance Co. and The Vision Insurance Group LLC alleging common law bad faith, civil conspiracy and other counts.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 2, 2007, she was injured in an accident when her vehicle was struck by Jeremy T. Spencer, who was driving a vehicle owned by Arthur J. Downing Sr. The suit states Downing reported the claim the next day and that the defendants denied it. The suit states that the defendants told Downing's counsel that the policy had been canceled for nonpayment of premiums the day before the accident, then reinstated by the insurer the day after, and was not in effect on the day of the accident.
The plaintiff holds Alfa Vision Insurance Corp., Alfa Mutual Insurance Co. and The Vision Insurance Group LLC responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to provide the benefit of the statutorily required 10-day grace period, and insisted on utilizing the unlawful preemptive notice or instant cancellation.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against defendants, punitive damages, costs, interest, attorney's fees, and further relief as the court deems just. She is represented by Robert P. Major of Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin PA in Orlando and Joseph R. Flood of Dean, Ringers, Morgan & Lawton PA in Orlando.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division Case number 17-cv-00101