Thomas, Thomas & Hafer Attorney B. Patrick O’Grady Testifies Before Virginia General Assembly

Thomas, Thomas & Hafer is proud to share that Patrick O’Grady recently testified before the Virginia General Assembly in opposition to a bill that will create a cause of action for bad faith against an uninsured or underinsured motorist carrier.  As originally drafted, the bill would have required a court to award an amount equal to double the judgment, together with costs, interest and attorney’s fees, in addition to the amount owed under the policy, if it found the insurer acted in bad faith.  Those opposed to the bill were able to secure significant amendments to the bill, including a cap of $500,000 on bad faith damages, elimination of the mandatory nature of the damages to be awarded, and a 45-day window in which an insurer can cure the alleged bad faith.  Obtaining these amendments was a major victory given that the bill’s patron was the majority leader of the Virginia Senate.  The bill, as amended, will take effect on July 1, 2024.

Patrick is a member of both the Virginia Bar and the North Carolina Bar.  He leads the firm’s Richmond, VA office and can be contacted at (804) 566-3570 or pogrady@tthlaw.com.