General Defense Litigation

The largest aspect of our practice involves civil litigation, primarily tort, commercial and business in both state and federal courts.  Our litigation practice encompasses all areas of insurance defense including:

• Product Liability
• Professional Malpractice
• General Liability
• First and Third Party Claims
• Bad Faith Litigation
• Business and Real Estate Litigation
• Administrative Proceedings and Transactions
• Medical Malpractice
• Insurance Coverage
• Personal Injury
• Construction Defects
• Casualty
• Public Entity Defense
• Transportation Litigation
• General and Premises Liability
• Landslide and Subsidence Liability
• Wrongful Termination/Sexual Harassment/Discrimination
• Police and Governmental Liability
• Workers’ Compensation
• Fire and Arson Claims

While our firm continues to devote itself to the defendant’s side of the docket, it has grown into a general civil defense practice.  Our clients include individuals, corporations, insurance companies and governmental entities.  Crabbe, Brown & James is also experienced in successfully defending municipalities and law enforcement agencies.

Crabbe, Brown & James is sensitive to the industry’s concerns and therefore focuses on achieving successful results as efficiently and economically as possible.  During the last eighty years, our firm has developed into one of the premier civil litigation defense firms in Ohio.

Product Liability

Crabbe, Brown & James has been retained either directly by self-insured clients and/or through their insurance carriers and has successfully represented a wide variety of manufacturers and owner/operators in product matters.  Such cases have included vehicles and components, heavy machinery and equipment, power tools, boilers, presses, air conditioners, home improvement products, various other commercial and personal products, and stationary and mobile cranes.

Insurance-Related Litigation

We maintain a comprehensive practice for insurance carriers.  This includes sophisticated coverage disputes, re-insurance disputes, and insurance contract interpretation, as well as declaratory judgment actions and bad faith claims.

Construction Litigation

We have successfully represented developers, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction defect cases including those involving commercial and residential construction, as well as condominium projects.

Public Entity Defense

We represent public entities including counties, districts, municipalities, and school districts.  Cases include personal injury, highway design, property damage, civil rights, wrongful termination, racial discrimination, sexual harassment, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and First Amendment issues.

Police Civil Liability

We defend police departments and their officers in all forms of civil litigation including the alleged use of excessive force and/or civil rights violations.

Professional Liability

Our firm represents such professionals as real estate brokers and agents, insurance brokers and agents, title companies, architects, accountants, lawyers and doctors in various professional liability matters.

Transportation Litigation

We have extensive experience in transportation trucking law.  Our practice encompasses vehicle design, component product, operation and maintenance-related commercial vehicle accidents, and cargo damage.

General & Premises Liability

Crabbe, Brown & James has vast experience in the defense of such general liability matters as motor vehicle collisions, food poisoning, assault and battery, premises liability, and general negligence.

Landslide & Subsidence Liability

Our lawyers have knowledge and experience in the fields of geophysical engineering, hydrology, mining and civil engineering.  We have provided coverage opinions with respect to landslide and subsidence liability.

Wrongful Termination/Sexual Harassment/Discrimination

We defend private companies and public agencies including school districts against such claims in both federal and state courts.

Workers’ Compensation

Our attorneys provide the defense of claims before all administrative agencies and courts in eighty-eight counties in Ohio.

Crabbe, Brown & James handles all aspect of first party and third party coverage matters, bad faith claims, and insurance regulatory issues.  Throughout its eighty year history, Crabbe, Brown & James has distinguished itself from other firms by its commitment to communication and partnership with its clients.  Our firm has a proven track record of providing high-quality legal representation in a cost effective manner.  We provide complete service to the insurance industry for litigation, including but not limited to insurance defense, claims, insurance fraud, investigation and coverage issues, with an emphasis on quality work and results, as well as fee and cost control.  Our attorneys are experienced litigators and negotiators and are admitted to all Ohio courts, state and federal, covering claims and trials in eighty-eight counties.  The majority of the members of our firm are predominantly engaged in the defense of civil litigation.

Names of representative clients and references are available upon request.