Zalma on Insurance
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Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
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April 11, 2024
Pro Se Plaintiff’s Qui Tam Suit Fails

Private Citizen May Not Compel Enforcement of a Criminal Law

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gZPHe22r, se the full video at https://lnkd.in/gCVTa9T2 and at https://lnkd.in/gF-jue4C and at https://zalma.com/blog and more than 4750 posts.

Post 4774

Ronald Rothman appealed from an order of the District Court dismissing his complaint with prejudice and remanding a foreclosure proceeding to state court.

In Ronald S. Rothman v. CABANA SERIES IV TRUST; IGLOO SERIES IV TRUST; U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee; WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.; BALBEC CAPITAL, L.P.; SN SERVICING CORPORATION; FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP; QUENTEN GILLIAM, ESQ., No. 23-2455, United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (April 2, 2024) the USCA, 3rd Circuit resolved the dispute.

FACTS

In June 2023, Rothman sued the defendants alleging that defendants violated federal civil and criminal laws in connection with an “invalid mortgage loan.” Rothman claimed that the loan was obtained by his son in 2006 to finance the purchase of a property from Rothman, that the “Notice of Settlement” for the loan was improperly recorded, and that the defendants illegally collected (or benefitted from) insurance payments on the “invalid” loan. The action was based on the False Claims Act and numerous criminal statutes, including the RICO Act. Rothman sought “declaratory judgments,” nullifying the mortgage loan and the sale of the property, and requiring restitution of the insurance payments.

In July 2023, Rothman filed a letter with the District Court, seeking to remove a 2022 foreclosure action (which stemmed from an alleged default of the mortgage loan) from the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division, to the District Court. In a Memorandum Order entered July 31, 2023, the District Court granted Rothman’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis, and screened and dismissed the complaint with prejudice pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B).

JURISDICTION

Appellees contend the Third Circuit lacked jurisdiction to review the order remanding the foreclosure matter. The complaint was not a notice of removal but rather an original action, and the District Court appropriately treated it as such.

In its Memorandum Order, the District Court considered the claims and dismissed them. That determination was final. It is reviewable by the Third Circuit. A district court cannot prevent appellate review of a final order by contemporaneously remanding a case to state court.

THE COMPLAINT

The complaint sought to hold defendants civilly and criminally liable for insurance fraud. Rothman claimed that the suit was “in the [p]ublic [i]nterest” because the defendants were depriving the “American [p]ublic and [c]itizens” of the federal funds.

The Third Circuit agreed with the District Court that Rothman, in essence, asserted a False Claims “qui tam” suit. In such cases, the Government is the real party in interest. Although a private person (the relator) may bring the suit on behalf of the Government circuit courts agree that a pro se litigant, like Rothman, may not. Nor could Rothman, as a private citizen, compel enforcement of criminal law. The District Court properly dismissed the complaint.

ZALMA OPINION

Qui tam suits are a powerful tool against insurance fraud. However, as the Third Circuit made clear, a private citizen acting in pro se may not nor may a private citizen compel enforcement of criminal law. The case established the old saying that “he who represents himself has a fool for a client.”

(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

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00:06:36
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PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS ARE IMMUNE FROM SUIT

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Post number 5320

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gPACkgWq and at https://lnkd.in/gsaxij7D, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.

In Hassan Fayad v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, et al., No. 2:25-cv-10930, United States District Court, E.D. Michigan, Southern Division (March 24, 2026) Plaintiff Hassan Fayad, the owner of several businesses providing transportation, diagnostics, testing, and therapy services, regularly billed insurance companies for these services, was arrested and tried for fraud, convicted, had the conviction overruled and sued the insurers and prosecutors he found responsible.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

By January 2020, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Allstate, and Esurance suspected fraudulent activity and filed a complaint with the Michigan Department of Attorney General (MDAG). The insurers alleged that Fayad and others billed Michigan auto insurance policies for profit without actually providing medically ...

00:08:00
April 09, 2026
Everyone Must Agree to Removal to Federal Court

Federal Courts Have Limited Jurisdiction

When all Parties Refuse Removal There is No Jurisdiction

Post number 5319

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gp6Z-JYY, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gAum322y and at https://lnkd.in/gRPzCjmt and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.

In Beth Mayhew and Matthew Mayhew v. Vladimir Sadovyh, et al., No. 2:26-CV-04029-WJE, United States District Court, W.D. Missouri (April 6, 2026) Mayhew was involved in a trailer-truck accident with Vladimir Sadovyh, who was employed by Nova First, LLC and Globex Transport, Inc. Both companies owned the tractor-trailer involved.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Chubb and Mohave Transportation Insurance Company jointly issued an insurance policy covering Nova First, Globex, and Sadovyh, with EMA Risk Services acting as a third-party administrator.

Beth Mayhew sued Nova First, Globex, and Sadovyh for negligence in Missouri state court, and following a jury trial, a nuclear judgment was awarded to the Mayhews totaling ...

00:04:01
April 09, 2026
IVF is not Excluded Sexual Conduct

Ordinary Negligence is What Medical Professi0nal Liability Insures

Post number 5319

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gxKjDztW and at https://lnkd.in/gnxkxS42, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.

Sexual Conduct Exclusion Doesn’t Apply When Doctor Negligently Uses His Own Sperm

In Integris Insurance Company v. Narendra B. Tohan, No. AC 47222, Court of Appeals of Connecticut (April 7, 2026) Integris Insurance Company, a medical professional liability insurer, initiated a declaratory action to determine its duty to defend and indemnify Narendra B. Tohan, a physician licensed in Connecticut, in a separate negligence action alleging medical misconduct.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In 2019, Kayla Suprynowicz and Reilly Flaherty (civil action plaintiffs), who were strangers for most of their lives, discovered through a genetic testing company that they are half siblings.

INSURANCE POLICY

The policy defines “Professional Services” in relevant part as “any professional medical services within the ...

00:07:58
April 02, 2026
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – April 1, 2026

ZIFL – Volume 30, Issue 7 – April 1, 2026

THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
Post number 5314

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 30th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:

No One is Above the Law – Not Even a Police Officer

Police Officer Convicted for Fraud in Reporting an Accident Affirmed
Police Officer Should never Lie about Results of Chase

In State Of Ohio v. Anthony Holmes, No. 115123, 2026-Ohio-736, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga (March 5, 2026) a police officer appealed criminal conviction as a result of lies about a high speed chase.

Read the following article and the full issue of ZIFL at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ZIFL-04-01-2026-1.pdf...

April 01, 2026
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – April 1, 2026

ZIFL – Volume 30, Issue 7 – April 1, 2026

THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
Post number 5314

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 30th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:

No One is Above the Law – Not Even a Police Officer

Police Officer Convicted for Fraud in Reporting an Accident Affirmed
Police Officer Should never Lie about Results of Chase

In State Of Ohio v. Anthony Holmes, No. 115123, 2026-Ohio-736, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga (March 5, 2026) a police officer appealed criminal conviction as a result of lies about a high speed chase.

Read the following article and the full issue of ZIFL at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ZIFL-04-01-2026-1.pdf...

March 31, 2026
Insurance Fraud Costs Everyone

Posted on March 30, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Insurance Fraud, a Way to Reduce Violent Crime
Post number 5313

A Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story helps to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the ­­­Perpetrators than any Other Crime.

She Taught Her Customers The Swoop And Squat:

Recently the California Insurance Department’s Fraud Division arrested a young woman in Los Angeles County for operating an insurance fraud school. She advertised her classes in the “Penny Saver” an advertising sheet distributed free to the public and a print version of Facebook, X Craig’s list. She had operated for several years teaching methods of committing automobile insurance fraud. Only after a police officer enrolled in one of her classes was she arrested.

Her defense ...

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