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    Chris Gabriel Photograph

    Chris Gabriel

    Counsel

    Dallas/Fort Worth
    817-722-9452
    chris.gabriel@phelps.com
    Areas Of Focus
    LitigationInsurance

    Major insurance companies place Chris Gabriel on their most demanding files because they know he is a problem solver, spots hidden issues, presents innovative strategies and keeps them well apprised of developments. Chris specializes in insurance coverage analysis and litigation primarily involving commercial general liability, commercial auto, professional liability, inland marine, commercial property, all risk and excess/umbrella policies.

    Chris manages a large case docket, providing analysis, strategy and delivering results on a wide variety of complex coverage issues. These include

    • Additional Insured and Indemnity Agreements
    • Stowers Demands
    • Allocation and Priority issues
    • Self-Insured Retentions
    • Coverage B Claims
    • MCS-90 and Form F Claims
    • UM/UIMClaims
    • Multi-Carrier Declaratory Judgments
    • Fine Arts/Valuable Articles Claims
    • Subrogation Issues

    Chris also represents insurers in first-party coverage and bad faith litigation.

    Chris manages a large case docket, providing analysis, strategy and delivering results on a wide variety of complex coverage issues. These include

    • Additional Insured and Indemnity Agreements
    • Stowers Demands
    • Allocation and Priority issues
    • Self-Insured Retentions
    • Coverage B Claims
    • MCS-90 and Form F Claims
    • UM/UIMClaims
    • Multi-Carrier Declaratory Judgments
    • Fine Arts/Valuable Articles Claims
    • Subrogation Issues

    Chris also represents insurers in first-party coverage and bad faith litigation.

    Experience

    • Lead coverage counsel on numerous matters involving underlying construction defects, commercial auto losses, oil and gas losses, environmental losses, crane and large equipment losses, commercial litigation and business torts, and other claims.
    • Counseled insurer throughout massive restoration and mitigation undertaking resulting from construction-related crane collapse in major metropolitan area.
    • Obtained federal district court summary judgment in hotly contested declaratory judgment coverage action related to serious injury case based on modified injury to employee exclusions contained in CGL policy.
    • Won federal court dismissal judgment for engineer clients in first-party coverage case asserting claims of violations of the Texas Insurance Code.
    • Obtained defense verdict in commercial auto accident case with complex facts, successfully convincing federal court jury to place almost all liability on responsible third party.
    • Negotiated settlements in numerous liability coverage, first-party, and insurance defense cases, including as specific example: favorable settlement in subrogation case involving disappearance of rare Victorian artifact collection.
    • Composed hundreds of coverage opinions and reservation of rights letters relied upon by major insurance companies.
    • Negotiated settlements in numerous liability coverage, first-party, and insurance defense cases, including as specific example: favorable settlement in subrogation case involving disappearance of rare Victorian artifact collection.
    • Composed hundreds of coverage opinions and reservation of rights letters relied upon by major insurance companies.

    Insights

    • September 29, 2021

      Fifth Circuit Holds Judgment Creditor Pursuing Insurer By Way Of Default Judgment Does Not Violate Texas’ “No-Action” Provision…

    • June 30, 2021

      Federal Court In Texas Finds No Coverage For Post-Judgment Tender

      …

    More +
    • June 30, 2021

      Texas Supreme Court Clears Pathway For Attorneys’ Fees In UM/UIM Cases

      …

    • March 26, 2021

      Fifth Circuit Finds Stowers Demand By Parent And Minor Child Valid Because Court Approval Of Settlement Of Minor’s Claim Was Not Required And The Demand Was Thus Not Conditional…

    • March 26, 2021

      Texas Supreme Court Will Take Up Northfield Exception to “Eight-Corners” Rule…

    • March 26, 2021

      Federal Court in Texas Holds Auto Exclusion Precludes Antecedent Negligence Claims…

    • December 9, 2020

      Insurance Law Report: December 2020…

    • August 25, 2020

      Insurance Law Report: August 2020…

    • May 12, 2020

      Insurance Law Report: May 2020…

    • January 2, 2020

      Phelps Elects Seven to Partnership, Six to Counsel Classes…

    Education

    • Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2010
    • New York University, B.F.A., 1994
    • Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2010
    • New York University, B.F.A., 1994

    Credentials

    • Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
    • Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
    • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

    Memberships and Affiliations

    • Texas Bar Association, Insurance Law Section
    • Dallas Bar Association, Insurance Practice Section
    • Tarrant County Bar Association
    • Texas Bar Association, Insurance Law Section
    • Dallas Bar Association, Insurance Practice Section
    • Tarrant County Bar Association
    • Overview
    • Experience
    • Insights
    • Education
    • Credentials
    • Memberships and Affiliations

    Related Services

    • Litigation
    • Insurance
    • Insurance
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