Christopher (Chris) G. Johnson

Kentucky Supreme Court

Mosley, 626 S.W.3d 579 (Ky. 2021): Successfully defended an insurance carrier in a landmark Kentucky Supreme Court case affirming trial court and Court of Appeals rulings we secured dismissing third-party bad faith claims arising from wrongful death claims following a coal mining accident.

Court of Appeals

Sullivan, 2025 WL 1006048 (Ky. Ct. App. 2025): Won summary judgment on remand (after securing a defense verdict at trial) in a long-running bad faith case, securing dismissal of all contractual and extracontractual claims, with the Kentucky Court of Appeals affirming in April 2025 and the Kentucky Supreme Court denying discretionary review in October 2025.

Crace, 2024 WL 1123707 (Ky. Ct. App. 2024): Won summary judgment and obtained affirmance following more than ten years of intensive discovery and motion practice in a high-exposure first-party bad faith case where Plaintiff sought over $150 million in damages.

Isaacs, 2022 WL 495980 (Ky. Ct. App. 2022): Secured dismissal of first-party statutory and common law bad faith claims in a high-profile underinsured motorist case, affirmed on appeal.

Federal Court

Darnes, 4:25-CV-00037 (W.D. Ky. 2026): Secured voluntary dismissal with prejudice of all claims following removal and a successful remand challenge, then filing a motion for judgment on the pleadings establishing that the policy’s unambiguous “other residences” limitation capped coverage at 10% of the personal property limit.

Augenstein, 1:23-CV-00094 (W.D. Ky. 2025): Won summary judgment dismissing all extracontractual claims in a first-party bad faith case, establishing that the absence of coverage as a matter of law foreclosed Plaintiff’s ability to meet Kentucky’s Wittmer standard.

Ball, 5:22-CV-00179 (E.D. Ky. 2023): Won summary judgment dismissing a breach of contract action arising from a tornado loss, enforcing the policy’s appraisal provision after the parties agreed on the loss amount and the award was paid.

Kim, 5:23-CV-00048-CHB (E.D. Ky. 2023): Obtained dismissal of third-party bad faith claims, establishing that Plaintiff failed to plausibly allege the required Wittmer elements where liability remained disputed, the insurer had a reasonable basis for denying the claim based on its investigation, and the complaint contained no facts supporting outrageous or reckless claim handling.

State Court

Water Emergency Services, Inc. 22-CI-00078 (Meade Cir. Ct. 2026): Won summary judgment dismissing all statutory and common law bad faith claims with prejudice, establishing that the insurer properly investigated inflated mitigation and repair estimates and properly invoked the policy’s appraisal process, thereby precluding any showing that liability was “beyond dispute” or that the carrier engaged in outrageous or reckless conduct. 

Eaton, 24-CI-00874 (Madison Cir. Ct. 2025): Won judgment on the pleadings dismissing all statutory and common law bad faith claims with prejudice, establishing that a liability dispute arising from a rear-end accident precluded any showing that liability was “beyond dispute” and that Plaintiffs failed to allege facts supporting outrageous or reckless claim handling.

Brewer, 23-CI-00803 (Hopkins Cir. Ct. 2024): Won dismissal with prejudice of all claims against the insurer, enforcing Kentucky’s prohibition on direct actions and establishing that Plaintiff could not assert bad faith claims absent established liability against the insured and where the underlying claims were time-barred.

Brown, 18-CI-00246 (McCracken Cir. Ct. 2023): Secured summary judgment dismissing third-party bad faith claims, establishing that Plaintiff lacked evidence that liability was “beyond dispute.”

Hill, 21-CI-00101 (Knott Cir. Ct. 2023): Won summary judgment dismissing third-party bad faith claims with prejudice, establishing that liability was never “beyond dispute,” no evidence supported allegations of malicious or reckless conduct, and Plaintiff failed to show compensable damages.

Rubin, 23-CI-00017 (McCracken Cir. Ct. 2023): Won judgment on the pleadings dismissing third-party statutory bad faith claims with prejudice, establishing that Plaintiff failed to allege facts showing conduct rising to bad faith under Kentucky law.

Dixon, 21-CI-00810 (Laurel Cir. Ct. 2022): Obtained dismissal of statutory and common law bad faith claims, establishing that Plaintiff failed to allege a contractual obligation to pay or conduct meeting Kentucky’s bad faith standard.

Streck, 165-CI-0599 (Jefferson Cir. Ct. 2021): Won summary judgment establishing no bad faith, where the evidence failed to show malice or reckless disregard in claim handling.

Ferell, 14-CI-00087 (Pike Cir. Ct. 2020): Won summary judgment dismissing third-party bad faith claims with prejudice, establishing that Plaintiff failed to allege facts sufficient to meet the Wittmer standard.

Sanchez, 20-CI-000874 (Jefferson Cir. Ct. 2020): Obtained dismissal of third-party bad faith claims, establishing that Plaintiff could not meet Kentucky’s threshold requirements.

Lashure, 17-CI-00255 (Bell Cir. Ct. 2019): Secured dismissal of third-party statutory bad faith claims by establishing that liability remained reasonably disputed.

Daman, 16-CI-00927 (Boone Cir. Ct. 2019): Secured dismissal of third-party bad faith claims through dispositive motion practice.