Farmer, House, Osuna & Olvera Successfully Dismisses Five Bastrop Wildfire Cases

Wm. David Farmer and Christopher A. Wright successfully obtained favorable summary judgment rulings in five cases arising from the Bastrop wildfires. The lawsuits were brought by a company that allegedly performed smoke-contaminant testing following the wildfires and then sought payment from the insurer for the testing. Mr. Farmer and Mr. Wright argued that Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Association did not retain the plaintiff’s services, that the plaintiff’s services did not constitute covered “property damage,” and that the applicable policies precluded the insureds from unilaterally assigning their rights to the plaintiff.

The cases were styled as:

Cause No. 695-J2; Texas Smoke Detection Services, LLC, d/b/a National Smoke Contaminant Testing v. Hochheim Prairie d/b/a Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Assoc.; In the Justice Court, Precinct 2, Bastrop County, Texas.

Cause No. 698-J2; Texas Smoke Detection Services, LLC, d/b/a National Smoke Contaminant Testing v. Hochheim Prairie d/b/a Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Assoc.; In the Justice Court, Precinct 2, Bastrop County, Texas.

Cause No. 699-J2; Texas Smoke Detection Services, LLC, d/b/a National Smoke Contaminant Testing v. Hochheim Prairie d/b/a Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Assoc.; In the Justice Court, Precinct 2, Bastrop County, Texas.

Cause No. 700-J2; Texas Smoke Detection Services, LLC, d/b/a National Smoke Contaminant Testing v. Hochheim Prairie d/b/a Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Assoc.; In the Justice Court, Precinct 2, Bastrop County, Texas.

Cause No. 701-J2; Texas Smoke Detection Services, LLC, d/b/a National Smoke Contaminant Testing v. Hochheim Prairie d/b/a Hochheim Prairie Farm Mutual Insurance Assoc.; In the Justice Court, Precinct 2, Bastrop County, Texas.

Congratulations to Mr. Farmer and Mr. Wright.