AAC’s Richard Cohn and Casey Johnson Named Finalists for CAOC’s 2024 Consumer Attorney of the Year

August 29, 2024

Recognized for Securing $6.15 Million Landmark Insurance Bad Faith Settlement

AAC partners Richard Cohn and Casey Johnson have been selected as one of six finalists for the 2024 Consumer Attorney of the Year Award by the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) for their work in a decade-long medical malpractice and insurance bad faith case.

The case, Cingari v. Natural Health Sports Therapy & Cingari v. Mid-Century Insurance Company, involved the plaintiff, Michael Cingari, who suffered a severe injury due to negligent treatment by an uninsured chiropractor at a physical therapy location. The subsequent lawsuit aimed to secure a $6 million judgment from a medical malpractice case against Mid-Century Insurance, the physical therapy location’s commercial liability insurer.

The litigation involved extensive challenges, including an initial denial of coverage based on a “professional services exclusion,” multiple motions for summary judgment, a successful appeal, and complex legal questions regarding the duty to defend. Despite these hurdles, AAC’s litigation team secured a $6.15 million settlement in early 2024, following a 10-year battle for justice.

This case highlights Richard and Casey’s perseverance and skills in navigating the complexities of medical malpractice and insurance bad faith litigation to secure compensation for their client, who faced significant harm and legal obstacles.

Our firm has been involved in several multi-million-dollar insurance fraud verdicts and settlements. It has been at the forefront of several landmark California court decisions that protect consumers from bad faith in insurance-related matters.

AAC’s Richard Cohn is one of the most respected and sought-after plaintiff attorneys in medical malpractice and insurance bad faith in the state of California and has twice won the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association’s prestigious Top Gun Trial Lawyer of the Year award for his medical malpractice results. Rich is a past President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, recent co-chair of the Orange County Bar Association Education Committee and is a Past President of the Board of Directors of United Cerebral Palsy – Orange County.

AAC’s Casey Johnson is a leading plaintiff lawyer in the areas of wrongful death, insurance bad faith, and elder abuse. He is heavily involved in the legal community, holding a variety of leadership positions, including currently serving as the Second Vice President of the Consumer Attorneys of California and on the Board of Governors of the American Association of Justice and Orange County Public Law Center. He is a past President of the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association, the Western Trial Lawyers Association, the Orange County Lavender Bar Association and the Robert A Banyard Inn of Court.