Overview

Ronald Getchey is of counsel in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's San Diego office.

Areas of Practice

Ronald represents insurance companies that are sued for bad faith, fraud and unfair competition. While the focus of his practice is in California, Ronald has or currently is representing insurance company clients in cases pending in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming. These cases are all extremely large and complex cases involving the so-called “institutional bad faith” approach which is an attack on the client's nationwide claims handling policies and procedures.

Together with the members of his practice group, Ronald was one of the first attorneys in California to successfully advocate the "genuine dispute" defense. Today, this defense is considered to be the most important and viable defense available to an insurance company that has been sued for bad faith. He was also one of the first attorneys to successfully defend the insurance industry's use of computer technology during the handling of casualty claims.

Experience

Experience

Mr. Getchey has obtained numerous published decisions from state and federal courts on significant issues affecting the insurance industry including:

  • Nager v. Allstate
  • Ricotta v. Allstate
  • Fields v. Woodley (Allstate)
  • Deer v. Allstate
  • Scroghan v. Allstate
  • Miller v. Allstate
  • Procopio v. Allstate
  • McCasland v. Chemicon
  • Beckman
  • Dauro v. Allstate
  • Koven v. Allstate
  • Stevenson v. Rochkind

Representative Clients

  • 21st Century Insurance Company
  • Allstate Insurance Company
  • The Hartford
  • Horace Mann Insurance Companies
  • Loya Insurance Group
  • Progressive Insurance Company
  • St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company
  • State Farm Insurance Company
  • Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company

Honors

Honors

Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers, 2023-2024

Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent Rating, 2016

San Diego Super Lawyers: 2015, 2016

Southern California Super Lawyers: 2014 (Insurance Coverage), 2016

Insights

Articles

  • Stevenson v. Rochkind: Out of the Frye-ing pan
    Maryland Daily Record, 07.26.2017

Media Mentions

Memberships

Memberships

American Bar Association

Maryland Bar Association

San Diego County Bar Association

Industries

Education

J.D., Loyola Law School, 1991, Order of the Coif

B.A., University of California, Riverside, 1988, summa cum laude

Admissions

  • California
  • Maryland
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth and Ninth Circuits
  • U.S. District Court for the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Districts of California
  • Circuit Court of Pulaski County, Arkansas
  • District Court, Adams County, Colorado
  • District Court, Denver County, Colorado
  • U. S. District Courts for the Middle District of Florida
  • Appellate Courts of the State of Indiana
  • Bartholomew County Circuit Court of the State of Indiana
  • Lake County Circuit Court of the State of Indiana
  • Supreme Court of the State of Indiana
  • U. S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Southern Division
  • Missouri Circuit Court, Circuit Court of Jackson County
  • Missouri Court of Appeals
  • Supreme Court of the State of Missouri
  • Cascade County District Court of Montana
  • U. S. District Courts for the District of Montana, Butte Division
  • U. S. District Court for the District of Montana, Missoula Division
  • Montana Sixth Judicial District, Park County
  • Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada
  • Supreme Court for the State of Nevada
  • Belmont County Court of Common Pleas for the State of Ohio
  • Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, County of Pennington, State of South Dakota
  • District Court of Wyoming, Seventh Judicial District, County of Natrona
  • District Court of Wyoming, Eight Judicial District, County of Converse
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