Case Background

This case began with a traffic accident that happened in Farmington, Connecticut, on July 27, 2019. In the afternoon, Linda Cahill slowed her car on Route 4 as traffic built ahead of her. Another driver, Hannah Leroy, drove behind her vehicle. Leroy failed to stop in time and struck the car in front of her, which in turn crashed into Cahill’s car. The chain reaction left Cahill injured and struggling with lasting physical problems.

Cahill later filed a lawsuit not only against the at-fault driver but also against her own insurance provider, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company. She claimed that her policy included uninsured and underinsured motorist benefits, which required Travelers to pay when the other driver’s coverage did not fully make up for her losses. By October 2021, she had formally brought her complaint in Hartford Superior Court.

The case moved forward over several years. While Leroy’s insurance covered some of Cahill’s damages, it did not come close to covering the full extent of her medical bills, lost time, and suffering. Cahill turned to Travelers to make up the difference. She argued that the company had a contractual duty to pay under her policy. Travelers disagreed and pushed back, filing defenses that limited or challenged what she could recover.

Cause

The cause of this dispute rested on the insurer’s obligation under Connecticut law and the contract of insurance. Cahill said she was entitled to recover underinsured motorist benefits. Her complaint made clear that Leroy’s negligence set off the crash. Leroy drove too close, failed to keep a proper lookout, and never br