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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Insurer Punts Claims From Denver Broncos

DENVER (CN) - An insurance company sued the Denver Broncos and nine of its former players, saying it's not obligated to cover the players' workers compensation claims.

St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance claims ex-Broncos Edwin Smith, Floyd Little, John Rowser, Louie Wright, Godwin Turk, Barney Chavous, Mike Schnitker, William Van Heusen and Randolph Gradishar all made workers compensation claims of more than $100,000 against PDB Sports, which runs the Broncos.

St. Paul says its policy does not cover such claims and it has no obligation to defend or indemnify PDB against the claims.

At issue are a number of policies bought by Rocky Mountain Empire Sports, to which PDB is successor-in-interest.

St. Paul claims the policies covered only employees in New Mexico, and did not include football players.

The insurer also says the policies were bought on an "if any" basis, to insure Rocky Mountain employees if the need arose, but that Rocky Mountain never identified any employees to be covered by the policies.

"The individual defendants have brought workers' compensation claims against PDB in the State of California, as a result of injuries alleged to have been sustained by the individual defendants in the State of California. ... The policies provide no coverage for the California claims," the complaint states. "Further, certain of the California claims fall outside of the policy periods."

St. Paul is represented by Carolyn Fairless of Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell.

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