Charles A. Danaher

Charles Danaher primarily represents insurance companies that are sued for bad faith, fraud and unfair competition. Charles' clients include Allstate Insurance Companies, State Farm Insurance Companies, Kemper Insurance Companies, Farmers Insurance Exchange, Infinity Insurance Company, Auto Club of So. Cal, and Loya Insurance Group. While the focus of his practice is in California, Charles has represented insurance company clients in Wyoming, West Virginia, Mississippi, Nevada, Florida, Montana, Indiana, Missouri, Alaska, Maryland, Arkansas, Oregon, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado and Ohio.

Charles has served as lead counsel in numerous class actions filed against his insurance company clients. He has successfully defended class actions involving such issues as the payment of overhead and profit, lessor liability coverage, the payment of sales tax, the manner in which actual cash value is determined, whether coverage exists for innocent co-insureds, issues involving med-pay coverage, and allegations of premium overcharging.

Together with the members of his practice group, Charles was one of the first attorneys in California to successfully advocate the genuine dispute defense. Today, this defense is considered to be the most important and viable defense available for an insurance company that has been sued for bad faith.

Charles has been appointed by Infinity Insurance as national coordinating counsel for bad faith claims against the company. Charles is also Infinity Insurance Company’s national coordinating counsel for third-party diminished value claims.

Charles also represents the Unum Group in actions and disputes involving individual disability policies.

Charles and his partner Ronald Getchey have been appointed as coordinating counsel by Allstate Insurance Company to direct its defense of lead paint litigation against the company’s insureds. Charles recently co-authored the brief that persuaded Maryland’s highest court to adopt the Daubert/Joiner standard when evaluating expert testimony under Rule 702. Rochkind v. Stevenson, 454 Md. 277, 164 A.3d 254 (2017).

Charles has successfully represented Dole Food, Inc. in several consumer class actions challenging Dole’s labeling practices and issues involving Dole’s leases with third-parties. Charles also represents Frontier Communications in both class action and consumer litigation across the country.

Charles has obtained numerous published decisions from state and federal courts on significant issues affecting the insurance industry.

Honors

Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating

San Diego Super Lawyers, 2007-2019 (Insurance)

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2007-2020 (Insurance)

The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-2018 (Insurance Law, Commercial Litigation)

San Diego Magazine: Best Lawyers in San Diego, 2007-2019(Insurance)

Super Lawyers: Business Edition, 2011-2013 (Insurance)

Corporate Counsel Magazine, 2010 Best Lawyers Annual Guide to Insurance Law

Super Lawyers: Corporate Counsel, 2010 (Insurance)

Co-Counsel for Du v. Deerbrook Insurance Co., Selected by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the Top Verdicts of 2010

Insights

Articles

•Stevenson v. Rochkind: Out of the Frye-ing pan
Maryland Daily Record, 07.26.2017
•Court does a Du-Over in bad faith failure to settle case
Daily Journal, 10.11.2012
•The Day After Hanif/Nishihama Is Overruled
09.09.2010
•Court Finds Coverage for Intentional Acts of 'An Insured' Under Severability Clause
06.17.2010

Media Mentions

•Sheppard Mullin Takes In 10 McKenna Attys In Calif.
Law360, 04.07.2014

Speaking Engagements

• A Humorous Look at Litigating a Bad Faith Lawsuit, Luce Forward Insurance Litigation Seminar, Los Angeles, October 14, 2010