Thomas E. Sanders

Insurance Litigation

• Catastrophe litigation. Thomas has represented insurers in hundreds of bad faith property damage cases resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, and wind/hail storms throughout Texas and other states. He has tried and obtained favorable verdicts in numerous cases in some of the most challenging venues in the country.
• Large-exposure bad faith claims. Thomas has represented property and casualty insurers in mold exposure and foundation claims; life insurers in large death claims; and health/disability insurers in claims involving the denial of large medical and disability claims.
• Coverage litigation. Thomas handles coverage disputes, including primary, excess, umbrella, and reinsurance in state and federal courts and arbitrations under general liability, commercial and property, business interruption, professional liability, officer and director, and life, accident, disability and health policies.
• Class actions. Thomas has represented insurers in numerous class actions involving alleged misrepresentation/omissions of premium charges and service charges for life insurance products.
• Securities fraud. Thomas has represented insurers and affiliated broker/dealers in securities fraud claims based on alleged misrepresentations in sales of insurance products and securities.

ERISA Litigation

• Class actions. Thomas has represented insurers in numerous ERISA class action lawsuits involving alleged improper calculation of lump sum disability benefits and alleged improper offsets of other income benefits.
• Improper claims handling. Thomas has represented insurers, plans and third-party administrators in numerous lawsuits involving plan construction, alleged improper claims handling, improper denial of benefits, breach of fiduciary duty, and discrimination claims under ERISA.

Commercial Litigation

• Class actions. Thomas has represented multiple oil and gas operators in numerous nationwide severance tax class actions.
• Dispute over sales commissions. Thomas has represented clients in arbitrations involving disputes over commissions due under marketing agreement for sale of investments in qualified plans.
• Trade secrets. Thomas has represented companies in lawsuits involving unfair competition and theft of trade secrets by former employees.
• False advertising. Thomas has represented geosynthetics manufacturer and drug manufacturers in unfair competition and Lanham Act false advertising claims.
• Construction litigation. Thomas has represented a company in a lawsuit involving alleged design and construction defects of a large warehouse facility. He also represented a homebuilder in numerous alleged construction defect lawsuits.
• Warranty and deceptive trade practices claims. Thomas has represented a truck retailer in warranty and DTPA claims throughout the United States.
• Drilling damage litigation. Thomas has represented oil and gas companies in mass property damage claims associated with drilling activities.
• Regulatory compliance and internal investigations. Thomas has represented companies on regulatory compliance, regulatory investigations and internal investigations.