Riker Danzig Counsel Peter M. Perkowski, Jr. secured a victory for client Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company in the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division on March 29, 2018. The Appellate Division affirmed the trial court’s ruling that Nationwide had no duty to defend or indemnify its insured, who had assaulted his girlfriend during a drunken and violent episode in an Atlantic City casino. Nationwide relied on Peter’s initial counsel to deny coverage to the insured when Peter opined that the insured’s domestic assault did not constitute an “occurrence” as defined by the Nationwide policy, causing the insured to file suit. Thereafter, Peter obtained summary judgment on Nationwide’s behalf, and the insured appealed. After extensive briefing and argument, the Appellate Division affirmed the trial court’s ruling in favor of Nationwide.
