Serving Worcester and Cambridge-Area Communities With Distinction for More Than 25 Years

Business Fraud and Bad Faith

Critical information can be deliberately withheld or misrepresented, assets may be misappropriated, or your interests may be unfairly disregarded or exploited.

You may have been misled into purchasing a business or entering into a transaction.  Your partner may have squeezed you out, misappropriated partnership opportunities, or engaged in self-dealing. An insurer may have unfairly denied or minimized coverage for your substantial loss. Your loved elderly family member may have been financially exploited by someone in a position of trust.

We have significant experience in these and other matters involving business fraud or negligent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty or trust, and unfair or bad faith conduct in business and insurance.

Business fraud, violation of trust by a fiduciary, and unfair or bad faith conduct by an insurance company, can cause significant financial and emotional harm. If you or your company has been harmed by one of these practices, we will work with you toward holding accountable those responsible for the wrongful conduct and recovering your losses.

We start by exploring realistic options in light of your specific circumstances to allow for informed decisions before a lawsuit is filed. If a lawsuit becomes necessary, we work with you to develop a sensible litigation plan containing thoughtful strategies designed to serve your specific interests. We then execute on that plan through discovery, settlement negotiations, and trial as necessary.

As a business fraud and breach of fiduciary duty lawyer, and law firm, serving Worcester and Cambridge, we understand value-added relationships and will consider contingent fee or hybrid hourly rate/contingent fee arrangements.

Business fraud and bad faith can prove costly to those who commit it. The Massachusetts Consumer Protection Statute, General Law Chapter 93A, provides robust protection against business fraud and bad faith, including punitive damages. In one case of business fraud and bad faith perpetrated by a Cambridge-area commercial landlord and its local banking institution, we prosecuted two related matters to a total recovery for our client of more than seven times the amount of their actual underlying loss. We proved the landlord deliberately misled our client to enter into a long-term lease and invest $200,000 in a restaurant venture at the landlord’s property, and that the landlord’s banking institution intentionally disregarded our client’s attachment lien to further its own financial interests; the bank turned over surplus foreclosure proceeds to the landlord instead of our client as it was required by law to do. The jury awarded our client double damages and attorney’s fees against the landlord, and the bank paid more than $500,000 in punitive damages to avoid the court’s damages assessment for its wrongful conduct. As an experienced Cambridge MA business fraud lawyer, and law firm, we are dedicated to holding fraudsters accountable.

Fraudster Admits Liability. Doubling down on fraud during the court process can have significant consequences for fraudsters. We secured a $4.5 million judgment against a Worcester-area company who falsified records relating to an accident, produced the falsified records in discovery, committed perjury by testifying under oath that the records were authentic, and implicated their attorneys in the fraudulent scheme. We exposed the fraud and compelled the Worcester-area company to admit its employee’s fraudulent conduct, and its own perjury, and ultimately to admit liability so that the only issue for trial was the amount of fair and full compensation. The company’s lawyer argued to the jury that the amount should be $700,000. The judgment was $4.56 million.

Breach of Fiduciary Duty

Under Massachusetts law, all fiduciaries must exercise the utmost good faith and loyalty to the beneficiary of the trust. That means the fiduciary must act solely in the beneficiary’s interest, even at the expense of his own interest, in matters connected with the fiduciary relationship. When a fiduciary prioritizes their own gain or acts negligently, it can result in significant financial losses, damaged relationships, and long-term harm to the individual’s or entity’s reputation. These breaches often lead to a loss of confidence in business partnerships, diminished trust in professional relationships, or mismanagement of critical assets.

As a Cambridge MA business fraud lawyer, and breach of fiduciary duty lawyer, serving Worcester and Cambridge-area communities, we will help you navigate the complexities of these disputes so that you may make informed decisions toward holding wrongdoers and fiduciaries accountable for their misconduct and securing fair and full compensation for your losses.

Unfair or Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Insurers commit unfair or bad faith insurance practices when they wrongfully delay, underpay, or deny legitimate insurance claims. Under the robust protections afforded under Massachusetts law, including Chapters 93A and 176D, insurers who deliberately violate their policy obligations may be punished for their conduct and subject to a multiplication of the underlying damages sustained by the policyholder or claimant. Whether its insurance coverage for fire, life, disability, property, or personal injury, we have significant trial experience fighting unfair and bad faith insurance practices and holding insurers accountable for their obligations.

If you have been harmed by an unfair or bad faith insurance practice, we will guide you through the legal process, evaluate your claim and all potential damages, and work with you toward holding the insurer accountable for its misconduct and securing fair and full compensation for your insurable loss.

Wrongful Death

The emotional and financial toll on family members who have lost a loved one to wrongful death is profound, as they must cope with the shock of the sudden and unexpected loss while grappling with the burden of lost companionship, lost income, and potential long-term financial hardship. Massachusetts law allows surviving relatives of wrongful death to recover compensation for their losses, including damages for lost wages, lost financial support of the loved-one, loss of expected future earnings, lost companionship and society, and compensation for medical and funeral expenses. If the wrongdoer’s conduct amounts to gross negligence, or reckless disregard, then punitive damages may also be imposed for the wrongful death of a loved one. We will guide you through the legal process, evaluate all potential damages, and work with you toward obtaining fair and full compensation for the harm you and your family have suffered.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is negligence or deviation from the expected standard of care on the part of a doctor or other health care provider. When a health care provider departs from accepted medical practice, and injury or death of a patient occurs as a result, the health care provider may be held liable for his or her conduct. If you have suffered from medical malpractice, no settlement or verdict will reverse your pain and suffering, but financial compensation for medical malpractice may provide the support you need to move forward. You may be entitled to recover for past and future pain and suffering, medical expenses, and loss of earnings. Family members may be able to recover for their losses, including loss of consortium or companionship.

Whether it’s a treatment error, surgical error, or misdiagnosis, as a medical malpractice law firm serving Worcester and Cambridge-area communities, we will carefully investigate the details of your case, working with leading experts to help understand and prove what happened.

Call Now for a Free Consultation

As a Worcester and Cambridge law firm focused on business fraud, wrongful death, and medical malpractice, we are prepared to provide you and your family legal guidance and support to help you move forward. To set up your free consultation, call us at 617-204-9800 or contact us online.