Attorney Richard Andrew Bright's Legal Cases

Federal regulation

Bell v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of OK, No. 14-3731 (8th Cir. 2016)

Apr 24, 2017

OUTCOME: Petition denied by the United State Supreme Court

Richard represented a VA nurse who was significantly injured and her health insurance was trying to take her insurance proceeds. He worked with Public Justice to challenge Blue Cross’s position that th ... e Federal Employees Health Benefits Act, 5 U.S.C. 8902(m)(1), expressly preempts plaintiff’s state-law defense, and that the Plan governs the question of reimbursement. The court concluded that federal law preempts the Arkansas state-law defense, and that plaintiff must reimburse the Plan.

Car accident

Bass vs. Shelby Taylor Trucking, et al.

Mar 21, 2014

OUTCOME: (1) Confidential settlement, (2) policy limits, and (3) underinsured policy limits

Confidential settlement with work truck that was towing an overweight fuel tank. The speed of the truck and weight of the fuel prevented the driver from being able to safely stop after another driver p ... ulled in front of the truck. This caused a life changing crash with Richard’s client who was driving a third vehicle. In addition to the confidential settlement, Richard was also able to get policy limits from the other vehicle and underinsured motorist limits.

Wrongful death

Estate of Lucas Langley v. State Farm

Feb 23, 2013

OUTCOME: Verdict for Plaintiff

State Farm refused to pay uninsured motorist benefits to the family of their insured who died at the hands of a hit and run driver. Client was driving motorcycle when he or his bike struck a vehicle i ... n front of him, came off his bike, rolled down the road for about 300 feet. As his body came to rest he was killed by a hit and run driver. An eye witness saw the hit and run driver but said my client was going way faster than him and he had his cruise set on 73. The witness said my client never got up but was moving an arm before he was struck. State Farm didn't care and didn't want to belive the family that my client was still alive before he was run over. Instead, State Farm denied the claim blaming our driver for not keeping a proper lookout and excessive speed causing his demise. The investigating State Trooper did not believe the eyewitness about the hit and run driver but did believe that my client was speeding and did his report based on my client never being hit at all by an hit and run driver. The witness gave inconsistent testimony in all of his interviews, depositons, and trial testimony. The trooper told the jury my client was going a minimum 80 mph and that he was not wearing a helmet in spite of me filing a motion in limine to exclude that from the jury.The state medical examiner refused to agree to our side of the story based on the trooper's opinons. But the jury didn't belive State Farm and they didn't belive the officer at trial as it became clear this was more of a cover up by the officers who did a shoddy job investigating the wreck. The judge did not allow the jury to hear the policy limits at issue so they gave a verdict for over twice the policy limits. It was the jury that finally told the family that they were right all along.

Richard Andrew Bright's Legal Cases (3)

Bell v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of OK, No. 14-3731 (8th Cir. 2016)

Bass vs. Shelby Taylor Trucking, et al.

Estate of Lucas Langley v. State Farm