Gregory L. Bentley
Partner
Gregory L. Bentley
Partner
Claremont, California
| phone | (909) 621-4935 (800) 458-3386 |
| fax | (909) 625-6915 |
| Mr. Bentley | |
Mr. Bentley is a trial attorney specializing in the representation of consumers on a wide variety of cases, including insurance bad faith and catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Mr. Bentley has tried over 20 jury trials to verdict and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. His track record reflects a career dedicated to protecting consumers. He has been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in the State of California by the National Trial Lawyer Association.
On behalf of senior citizens, he successfully litigated cases against unscrupulous insurance companies that were selling deferred annuities to seniors through a “trust mill” operation designed to befriend/dupe seniors into purchasing deferred annuities that were unsuitable for their financial needs. The litigation resulted in an 8 figure settlement and the shutting down of the “trust mill” practice.
He took on an HMO representing over 90 patients who lost kidney transplant opportunities following the forced transfer of their care for cost saving purposes. The litigation efforts resulted in a $17 million settlement and the transfer of all patient care back to qualified hospitals.
Mr. Bentley frequently represents clients whose insurance company fails to defend them or settle cases filed against them for amounts within their policy limits. Through an assignment of rights and covenant not to execute, Mr. Bentley and Mr. Bidart recently obtained a Court Judgment against American States Insurance Company in the amount of $6,196,175 for their failure to settle a case on behalf of an insured who caused severe injuries, including wrongful death, following a head-on collision. American States Insurance Company v. H.L.C.D., Inc.
Mr. Bentley obtained a jury verdict against a large Medical Group for their interference with a patient’s contractual rights to receive medical benefits under an HMO policy. His client suffered severe headaches for a long period of time and was wrongfully denied a timely brain MRI to diagnose what turned out to be a massive brain tumor. Once the tumor was finally diagnosed, the Medical Group denied the patient the right to have the tumor removed by a qualified Board Certified Neurosurgeon. The jury found that the medical group intentionally interfered with the client’s right to receive medically necessary care returning a verdict in her favor in the amount of $890,000. Madeiros v. The Beaver Medical Group, L.P.
Mr. Bentley is actively involved in fighting life insurance companies that wrongfully “rescind” policies following a loved-one’s death by engaging in the practice of “post claims underwriting” - the unlawful practice whereby “an insurer wait[s] until a claim has been filed to obtain information and make underwriting decisions which should have been made when the application [for insurance] was made, not after the policy was issued.” Hailey v. California Physicians' Service (2007) 158 Cal. App. 4th 452, 465. In a recent case on behalf of a 62 year-old widow whose husband purchased a $250,000 life insurance policy, Mr. Bentley, along with William M. Shernoff, successfully established that a major insurance company engaged in the illegal practice of “post-claims underwriting” in the handling of life insurance claims. The case settled prior to trial for $1.8 million.
Mr. Bentley handles a wide variety of bad faith matters. He recently obtained a $2.5 million settlement of a bad faith claim against an insurance company for denying payments under a Lendor Loss Payee Endorsement Clause of a Homeowners Policy. He also recently obtained a $575,000 bad faith settlement against an insurance company for failing to adequately pay a fire loss claim based on the wrongful reliance of plans prepared by an unlicensed civil engineer
Mr. Bentley also handles catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters. He was lead counsel on behalf of 11 clients (2 adult church leaders and 9 high school students) involved in a tragic head-on collision on Highway 395, resulting in 4 deaths and major injuries to the survivors. Due to his litigation efforts, Mr. Bentley was able to uncover numerous Caltrans memorandums dating back to 1965 confirming Caltrans’ knowledge of the dangerous propensities of a 6” Type A dike along State highways, which caused wayward vehicles to violently “launch” back into oncoming traffic. This complex case resulted in 60 depositions, the production of thousands of documents and extensive expert workup. The matter settled against multiple defendants right before the February 2011 trial for an amount in excess of $20 million.
Mr. Bentley and Mr. Bidart obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $17.5 million on behalf of a teenage boy rendered a quadriplegic following a diving accident at a camping activity. The verdict provided the client the means to pay for his significant lifetime medical needs.
Well versed in handling catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death matters, Mr. Bentley’s additional settlements and verdicts include a $2 million settlement of a wrongful death of a father in a disputed liability accident with no witnesses; $1million verdict in wrongful death claim of young woman struck by motorcycle; $5 million settlement of brain injury claim of 65 year-old husband arising out of an accident on Interstate 10; $1.5 million gross verdict against BNSF Railway (reduced to $455,000 for comparative fault) on behalf of 65 year-old mother killed when hit by a train while stuck in her car on the tracks; $1 million policy limits settlement on behalf of an amputee who suffered a significant fracture to his amputated leg in a fall at a restaurant caused by poor lighting and code violation; $1.5 million wrongful death settlement against a nursing home for negligent care.
A staunch consumer advocate, Mr. Bentley is the President of the Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire (2010 & 2011), on the Board of Directors of the Consumer Attorneys of California and a Member of the Riverside Bench Bar Committee, acting as an Attorney Liaison with the Courts on behalf of consumers. He is the 2010 Consumer Attorney of California Chapter President Award Recipient and the Committee Chair of the 2010 and 2011 Consumer Attorneys of Inland Empire Palm Springs Seminar. He has been married for 24 years and has 3 children. He may be reached via email by clicking here.
Areas of Practice:
- Insurance Bad Faith
- Catastrophic Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
(100% of Practice Devoted to Litigating for Consumers)
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Consumer Attorneys of California, Board of Directors
- Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire, President (2010 & 2011)
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- San Bernardino County Bar Association
- Riverside County Bar Association
- Western San Bernardino County Bar Association
Speaking Engagements:
Mr. Bentley’s past and upcoming speaking engagements include April 5, 2011, University of Laverne College of Law, Prosecuting A Personal Injury Case - Discovery and the Proper way to Submit a Policy Limits Demand; April 26, 2011, University of Laverne College of Law, Prosecuting A Personal Injury Case- Preparing the Trial Binder and avoiding Appellate Issues; May 21, 2011, CAOIE Palm Springs Seminar – Proving Damages in a Personal Injury Case; September 11, 2011 Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles Las Vegas Convention, Taking the Lid Off the Policy; November 11, 2011 Consumer Attorneys of California 50th Annual Convention Insurance Do’s and Don’ts in Handling Personal Injury Matters.
