In a ruling that is sure to raise the concerns of attorneys that handle property insurance claims for homeowners, the Texas Supreme Court held these lawyers are not entitled to attorney fees of the insurer pays the appraisal amount plus interest.
Justice Jimmy Blacklock, writing for the court in Mario Rodriguez v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Indiana, answered a certified question from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which asked whether a 2017 amendment to the Texas Insurance Code barred recovery of attorney fees.
