EDWARDSVILLE – A motorist has filed a lawsuit against the Granite State Insurance Company and Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. for breach of contract, alleging they failed to provide compensation under her Illinois Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage policy following a crash with an underinsured driver.
Plaintiff Gwendolyn Christen-Lucas filed the lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court against Granite State Insurance Company and Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., citing allegations of breach of contract.
According to the lawsuit, Christen-Lucas had an insurance policy with the defendants that included Illinois Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage, which covered damages from bodily injury. She states that this policy was active and in effect on May 7, 2021, when she got into a collision with Jack Gaffney, who was insured through State Farm Mutual Insurance Company and determined to be liable for the crash.
The plaintiff claims she was injured in the collision and that her monetary damages exceeded the limits of Gaffney's insurance policy. She argues that she was therefore covered under her policy's UIM coverage, which required that the defendants pay her compensatory damages on behalf of Gaffney.
The plaintiff claims the defendants gave her permission to accept the policy limits offered by Gaffney's insurance carrier. She alleges that since April 5, 2023, she has demanded the policy limits under her UIM coverage from the defendants but has yet to receive a response to her claims for compensation.
Christen-Lucas is seeking a judgement for damages in excess of $50,000, plus attorney fees, court costs and any other relief the court deems proper. She is represented in this case by attorneys Michael P. Glisson and Timothy J. Chartrand of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson in Alton.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 2023LA001477