Zalma on Insurance
Education • Business
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.
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
August 11, 2025
Sovereign Immunity Prevents Suit Against USA

Chutzpah: After Criminal Prosecution Defendant Sues USA
Post 5164

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/g_QAZY-d and at https://lnkd.in/gbF7vMxG and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye, a medical doctor, filed a lawsuit against the United States of America, seeking damages for alleged violations during his criminal prosecution. He was acquitted by a jury but claims to have suffered significant harm, including financial losses, damage to his professional reputation, and personal distress.

In Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye v. The United States Of America, Civil Action No. 4:25-cv-83, United States District Court, E.D. Texas, Sherman Division (July 23, 2025) the USDC dismissed Adeoye’s suit.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Dr. Adeoye was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleged that he and his co-conspirators obtained at least seventeen million dollars through various fraudulent schemes. Despite being acquitted, Dr. Adeoye claims that his prosecution caused him ongoing harm.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Dr. Adeoye’s complaint asserts three causes of action:

1. Violation of Due Process: Adeoye claims his due process rights were violated due to wrongful detention, lack of legal safeguards, and delays in his trial.

2. Violation of the Speedy Trial Act: Adeoye alleges unnecessary procedural delays caused by the government’s failure to advance the case.

3. Negligence: Adeoye asserts that the government was negligent in investigating the charges, delaying access to legal counsel, and not advancing the case in a reasonable time frame.

ANALYSIS

The court’s analysis focused on the government’s motion to dismiss, arguing that Dr. Adeoye’s claims were barred by sovereign immunity. The court agreed with the government, stating that the United States had not consented to being sued for the type of constitutional tort claims Dr. Adeoye seeks. The court also found that Dr. Adeoye’s claims under the Speedy Trial Act and negligence are not cognizable under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) due to lack of exhaustion of administrative remedies.

A Rule 12(b)(6) motion allows a party to move for dismissal of an action when the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. When considering a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), the Court must accept as true all well-pleaded facts in the plaintiff’s complaint and view those facts in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. The Court may consider the complaint, any documents attached to the complaint, and any documents attached to the motion to dismiss that are central to the claim and referenced by the complaint. The Court must then determine whether the complaint states a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.

The Government argues that Rule 12(b)(1) bars Plaintiff’s claims. That is because, according to the Government, each of Plaintiff’s claims are barred under sovereign immunity. Before the Court can proceed any further, it must ensure that sovereign immunity does not prevent it from presiding over the case.

Because Plaintiff’s Complaint seeks to assert a claim under the civil rights statutes and the United States has not consented to suits for such claims, Plaintiff’s claim here is barred by sovereign immunity.

Fundamentally, Plaintiff’s Complaint is also deficient because it mentioned no individual connected to the conduct complained of at all.

Plaintiff’s Speedy Trial Act Claim

The only remedy for a violation of the STA is dismissal of an indictment. Plaintiff’s Complaint does not present any theory of recovery under the STA that would allow the Court to engage with it any further. Plaintiff has not carried his burden here. He has not even attempted to demonstrate that his STA cause of action is in exact compliance with the terms of a statute under which the sovereign has consented to be sued. Thus, Plaintiff’s STA claim must be dismissed.

Even if sovereign immunity did not apply, the Court would nonetheless dismiss each of Plaintiff’s claims under Rule 12(b)(6). Plaintiff’s Complaint is wholly deficient and borders on frivolous.

CONCLUSION

The court granted the United States’ motion to dismiss, dismissing Dr. Adeoye’s § 1983 and Speedy Trial Act claims with prejudice and his FTCA claim without prejudice.

ZALMA OPINION

Health insurance fraud is a serious crime. Dr. Adeoye was indicted as part of a multi-million dollar fraud scheme. The case went to trial and Dr. Adeoye was acquitted because the USA failed to convince the jury of his crimes beyond a reasonable doubt. Dr. Adeoye sued the government without first presenting the claim and without complying with the tort claims act resulting in the government’s motion to dismiss the suit based on sovereign immunity.

(c) 2025 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the videos and let them subscribe to the blog and the videos.

Subscribe to my substack at https://barryzalma.substack.com/subscribe

Go to X @bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/account/content?type=all; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk.

00:07:56
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
October 31, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part 8

The Professional Claims Handler

Post 5218

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zalma-philosophy-claims-handling-part-8-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-zdwsc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v70zl4s-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-8.html and at https://youtu.be/MIYcF71ffRQ, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

Claims Commandment X – Thou Shall Not Pretend to be a Lawyer

Some experienced and professional claims people know the law in their area of expertise better than most lawyers.

Adjusters should be adjusters and leave lawyering to lawyers. Similarly, lawyers should be lawyers and never try to be adjusters.

Claims Commandment XI – Thou Shall Empathize With the Claimant

Everyone presenting a claim is unhappy, disturbed, shocked, injured and needs help.

Empathy is identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives. It is the ability to understand another person’s circumstances, point of view, thoughts, and feelings....

00:11:08
October 28, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part 6

HOW TO CREATE AN EXCELLENCE IN CLAIMS HANDLING PROGRAM

See the full video at https://rumble.com/v70wb2i-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-6.html and at https://youtu.be/tL5nDKPEs40 and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

Post 5217

This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry.

An Excellence in Claims Handling program begins with a statement in the insurer’s claims manual or statement of professionalism that it is dedicated to providing excellence in claims handling to every insured who presents a claim.

The excellence in claims handling program should include, at a minimum:

A series of lectures supported by text materials explaining:
A definition of insurance.
How to read and understand an insurance policy.
How to interview an insured, witness, or claimant.
How to assist an insured in the insured’s obligation to ...

00:08:40
October 27, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part 5

The Professional Claims Handler

Post 5216

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zalma-philosophy-claims-handling-part-5-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-jde8c, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v70q4x8-the-zalma-philosophy-of-claims-handling-part-5.html and at https://youtu.be/6b9tZQsEkB4, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.

This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry.
Standards to be a Professional Claims Adjuster

The Insurance claims professional should be a person who:

1. Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
2. Understands the promises made by the policy.
3. Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
4. Are competent investigators.
5. Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
6. ...

00:08:18
October 31, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part 9

The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5219

Posted on October 31, 2025 by Barry Zalma

An Insurance claims professionals should be a person who:

Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
Understands the promises made by the policy.
Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
Are competent investigators.
Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Understand medicine relating to traumatic injuries and are sufficiently versed in tort law to deal with lawyers as equals.
Understand how to repair damage to real and personal property and the value of the repairs or the property.
Understand how to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insured that is fair and reasonable to both the insured and the insurer.

How to Create Claims Professionals

To avoid fraudulent claims, claims of breach of contract, bad faith, punitive damages, unresolved losses, and to make a profit, insurers ...

post photo preview
October 20, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part I

The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert

The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210

This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster

When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.

I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...

post photo preview
October 20, 2025
The Zalma Philosophy of Claims Handling – Part I

The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert

The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail

Post 5210

This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.

My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster

When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.

I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...

post photo preview
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals