RACHEL R. HAGER, R.N., ESQ.
Education:- Rutgers College of Nursing, B.S.N., 1987 (with Highest Honors); received Sigma Theta Tau award for excellence in nursing practice
- Rutgers University School of Law, J.D., 1994
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- First party property insurance coverage investigation and litigation
- Prosecuting and defending fraud and bad faith claims
- Third party insurance coverage, including asbestos and environmental claims and litigation.
- Personal injury and medical malpractice
- Disability and life insurance coverage
- Subrogation
- Municipal Court matters, including DWI cases
- Former law clerk to the Honorable Arthur N. D'Italia (Assignment Judge, Hudson County, New Jersey)
- Member: New Jersey State Bar Association
- Member: Morris County Bar Association
- Member: Morristown Chamber of Commerce
- Former Member: New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
Rachel is a Registered Nurse in the State of New Jersey. She worked as an emergency room/trauma nurse for seven years in several Level 1 trauma centers in New Jersey. In 1994, after completing law school, she served a judicial clerkship for the Honorable Arthur N. D'Italia, former Assignment Judge in Hudson County, New Jersey. Thereafter, she was an Associate at the law firm of Budd Larner, P.C. in the firm's Property Insurance Coverage litigation group. She was eventually promoted to Counsel and then Partner in 2005.
Rachel has a diverse background in a wide range of insurance matters and has litigated a wide array of complex, multi-million dollar claims in cases throughout the United States with respect to wind, flood, fire (including arson cases), fraud, mold, asbestos, building collapse, environmental cleanup, bad faith and other first-party risks as well as subrogation.
Notable Cases:- Defended numerous first-party insurers in actions arising from Hurricane Katrina involving a multitude of coverage issues, including disputes involving mold claims, code enforcement, business interruption issues and bad faith. In one of the Katrina cases, actively participated in a three-week bench trial in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana and was involved in post-trial submissions concerning alleged property damage and business interruption losses in excess of $100 million.
- Successfully represented insurer–client in an appraisal involving the actual cash value of a vacant building, obtaining a zero award.
- Assisted insurer-client in investigating numerous claims arising from the 2003 power outage affecting the Northeastern United States and Canada.
- Assisted property insurers in the investigation and pre-litigation settlements of a multi-million dollar claim involving properties both in Louisiana and Mississippi in connection with Hurricane Katrina claims.
- Successfully defended property insurer against a claim by another property insurer involving "other insurance" issues arising from the events of September 11th. Obtained summary judgment in favor of the client on a multi-million dollar claim with no ensuing appeal.
- Represented insurer-client in a subrogation action which was successfully settled at close to 95 percent of the claim within months of the commencement of the lawsuit and before the exchange of discovery.
- Defended large and complex property damage claims for insurer-client, exposing otherwise undiscovered fraudulent acts by Insured and successfully resolving claims either pre-suit or prior to trial.
- Successfully represented fire and EC carriers in arbitrations with boiler and machinery carriers
- Represented insurer clients in claims made under disability policies and obtained favorable settlements for clients.
- Has handled numerous personal injury and negligence cases from investigation up to the time of trial, obtaining favorable settlements for clients.