George A. Kohl

I sort of fell into personal injury law, and I’ve been practicing in this area for over 42 years, with over 2 years of general practice experience before that. My goal has always been straightforward: help injured people get compensated for what they’ve suffered.

I generally handle premises liability cases, automobile cases, and insurance coverage issues, and can take on nearly any negligence or insurance matter outside of Labor Law and products liability.

A significant part of my work involves insurance coverage and appellate issues – cases that are decided on policy language and legal argument rather than day-to-day case management. Because of that, I typically have less direct client contact than attorneys handling the front end of a case. When I need something directly from a client, such as an affidavit for a motion, I’ll reach out by phone; if the issue is more complex, I’ll have them come in for a meeting.

I’ve argued and won two of New York’s most significant cases on supplemental uninsured motorist (SUM) coverage before the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

• In Matter of Prudential Property & Casualty v. Szeli, 83 N.Y.2d 601 (1994), my argument helped establish the framework the Court still uses today for determining when SUM coverage is triggered.
• In Brandon v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 97 N.Y.2d 491 (2002), the Court held that a SUM carrier seeking to deny a claim based on an insured’s failure to provide required notice must show it was actually prejudiced by that failure, a departure from the prior no-prejudice rule.

Both decisions changed SUM coverage law in New York in ways that continue to favor claimants.

Over the years, I’ve handled hundreds of dispositive motions and argued over 100 appeals, including before the Court of Appeals, the Appellate Division for the Second Department, and the Appellate Division for the Third Department. My work and case results have been covered several times in the New York Law Journal.