Client: A Major Insurance Company
Industry: Insurance
Services Provided: E-Discovery, Forensic Data Analysis
Summary: Defend against a fraudulent insurance claim after policy cancellation due to non-payment
Result: Full Defense Verdict
Background: An insurance company faced a lawsuit from a former policyholder who claimed that they
never received emails regarding payment issues and subsequent policy cancellation. The policy was
cancelled due to non-payment before a loss occurred on the claimant’s property, and the insurance
company denied the claim based on this cancellation. The claimant initiated legal proceedings, alleging
non-receipt of the cancellation notices.
Challenge: The insurance company needed to prove that the cancellation notices were sent and
received by the claimant to defend against the fraudulent claim effectively. The claimant’s attorney
hired a forensic data expert who reported that there was no evidence of email receipt on the claimant’s
computer systems. This expert testimony initially presented a significant challenge for the insurer’s
defense.
Engagement: Relevant Data Technologies (RDT) was engaged to provide comprehensive E-Discovery
services to address these allegations. The initial step involved attending the deposition of the opposing
forensic expert, where RDT helped craft specific questions to uncover the methodology used by this
expert. It was revealed during the deposition that the expert had not utilized proper forensic software for
their analysis, which cast doubt on the reliability of their findings.
With the information RDT provided the client successfully advocated for a court order to search the
image of the claimant’s computer that would have been used to receive emails from the insurer.
Findings: Upon receiving the necessary permissions, RDT conducted a detailed forensic examination of
the claimant’s computer system. Their analysis focused on the deleted sections of the computer’s
storage, where they discovered the crucial piece of evidence: the policy cancellation email sent from
the insurer.
The forensic data conclusively demonstrated that the email had been received, opened, viewed, and
was later permanently deleted from the active data on the computer. This evidence was pivotal in
establishing that the claimant had been adequately notified of the policy cancellation due to nonpayment.
Outcome: Armed with the forensic evidence uncovered by Relevant Data Technologies, the insurance
company’s legal team was able to present a compelling defense. The detailed and irrefutable nature of
the evidence presented left little room for doubt regarding the claimant’s awareness of the policy
cancellation.
Case Study 1
In the end, the court ruled in favor of the insurance company, resulting in a full defense verdict. This
case highlighted the critical role of expert E-Discovery services and forensic analysis in legal disputes
involving digital communications and claims of non-receipt.
Conclusion:
Relevant Data Technologies’ expertise in forensic data analysis and E-Discovery provided
the definitive evidence required to defend against a fraudulent insurance claim. This case study
underscores the importance of employing rigorous forensic methodologies and the right tools in
uncovering the truth in legal disputes. Through meticulous analysis and strategic legal support, RDT
helped their client navigate complex digital evidence and achieve a favorable legal outcome
