Woman Accuses Allstate Of Delaying Tactics

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A Richmond woman who has accusing Allstate Insurance Company of systematically cheating injury victims of car crashes has increased her demand for damages substantially.

Sixty-year-old Geneva Hager had asked for $6 million in the Fayette Circuit Court action, but now her lawyers say she wants $1.425 billion.

Hager accuses Allstate of illegally employing various schemes and delay tactics to bully injury victims into accepting lowball offers for their pain and suffering. She had been seeking an $800 million class-action for thousands of soft-tissue injury victims in car wrecks that had minimal property damage. A judge denied class certification last year.

Her suit is scheduled for trial October first.

Hager is asking for $475 million in compensatory damages for mental anguish. She is asking for an additional $950 million in punitive damages to punish the insurance company.

Allstate attorneys say there is no factual or legal evidence supporting such damages.

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