We represented Pioneer Natural Resources Company in an insurance dispute with certain underwriters at Lloyds of London and Zurich American Insurance Co. who Pioneer alleged did not fulfill their contractual obligations to compensate Pioneer for an oil platform that was destroyed by Hurricane Rita in September 2005. The case involved damages of over $150 million.
Pioneer sued the Underwriters in Louisiana state court, and the Underwriters responded by suing Pioneer in Texas state court in Harris County. We represented Pioneer in the Harris County action and successfully moved to dismiss the case in favor of the lawsuit filed by Pioneer in Louisiana. Lloyds then removed the Louisiana state court action to federal court and moved to compel arbitration. The firm was part of a team that successfully opposed the motion to compel arbitration and the case was remanded. We were then successful in having the Underwriters’ appeal of this decision dismissed from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for lack of jurisdiction. The United States Supreme Court then denied the Underwriters’ petition for writ of certiorari. Finally, Barrett Reasoner and Jeff Kubin were part of the trial team in Louisiana state court in October. After four days of trial, the case was settled very favorably for Pioneer.
