For the vast majority of people, being injured and needing to file a personal injury claim is an unknown process. It is surprising for many claimants to learn that 95% of cases don’t end up in court, they end up being settled through negotiations. In many cases, settling out of court can secure a great result for a personal injury claimant. However, the threat of bringing a case all the way to court and presenting a strong argument has to be there in order for negotiations to be effective.
For Ulster County, where we serve as personal injury attorneys in Kingston, NY, there are public court records available on searchiqs.com. Within these records, we took a look at the number of times insurance companies went to court over a claim in the last five years, and broke down the companies and types of cases. Here’s what we found:
How Many Ulster County Personal Injury Cases Ended Up In Court?
We tracked a total of 188 cases from 2020 to 2024 where a major insurance company was a party in Ulster County courts. That includes:
- 2020: 30 Personal Injury Cases
- 2021: 32 Personal Injury Cases
- 2022: 36 Personal Injury Cases
- 2023: 49 Personal Injury Cases
- 2024: 41 Personal Injury Cases
Which Insurance Companies Go to Court the Most in Ulster County?
1. Geico – 58 Cases
Geico’s insurance division led the way by going to court 58 times, including 9 times in 2020, 8 times in 2021, 12 times in 2022, 17 times in 2023, and 12 times in 2024.
2. State Farm – 55 Cases
State Farm came in a strong second, with 11 cases in 2020, 12 in 2021, 9 cases in 2022, 13 in 2023, and 10 in 2024.
3. Progressive – 30 Cases
Progressive went to court on personal injury matters twice in 2020, seven times in 2021, five times in 2022, six times in 2023, and ten times in 2024.
4. Allstate – 20 Cases
Allstate went to court five times in 2020, four times in 2021, five times in 2022, three times in 2023, and three times in 2024.
5. Liberty Mutual – 12 Cases
Liberty went to court twice in 2020, once in 2021, seven times in 2023, and twice in 2024.
6. Erie Insurance – 8 Cases
Erie went to court three once in 2021, four times in 2022, twice in 2023, and once in 2024.
7. Other: Nationwide, USAA, Travelers
USAA went to court once in 2022 and 2023, Nationwide went to court twice in 2024, and Travelers Insurance went to court once in 2024.
What Kinds of Cases Go to Court the Most in Ulster County?
1. Motor Vehicle – 107 Cases
MV (Motor Vehicle) cases are the most common type of litigation involving insurance companies, typically arising from car accidents in Kingston or Saugerties where an injured party sues for damages. These cases often involve disputes over liability, coverage limits, and settlement offers between injured drivers or passengers and the at-fault driver’s insurer.
2. “Other” – 28 Cases
Other cases involving insurers are a catch-all category for civil disputes that don’t neatly fit into standard classifications like motor vehicle or commercial matters. They can include everything from ambiguous insurance coverage issues to minor personal injury claims or procedural filings that don’t specify a clear case type.
3. Commercial – Insurance – 20 Cases
Commercial – Insurance cases typically involve disputes between businesses and insurance companies over coverage, policy exclusions, or denied claims. In the personal injury context, this might include a business suing its insurer for refusing to cover liability after a customer’s injury, like a slip and fall on commercial property in Kingston.
4. Special Proceedings – 17 Cases
Special Proceedings are fast-track legal actions used for specific issues like compelling arbitration, resolving coverage disputes, or enforcing subpoenas—often between insurers and policyholders. In personal injury-related matters, they frequently come up when an insurance company wants a quick court ruling on whether it must defend or indemnify a claim.
5. Commercial – Contract – 12 Cases
Commercial – Contract cases involve disputes over the terms or enforcement of a contract, often between an insurance company and a business or policyholder. In the personal injury world, this might arise when an insurer is sued for breaching its contractual obligations under a liability policy or settlement agreement.