Blog

Jury Verdicts and the Evolving Role of Punitive Damages 

Introduction Historically rare, punitive damages are intended to punish egregious misconduct and deter future wrongdoing. Recently, however, jury verdicts—including both compensatory and punitive damages—have garnered significant public attention, indicating a possible shift in jury attitudes and expectations. Although punitive damages traditionally appear in only 2–5% of civil jury trials, recent verdicts suggest juries increasingly seek...

Independent Group Announces New Sales & Business Leadership

We’re thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotions of Mikel Taft to Chief Business Development Officer and Courtney Barber to Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. Since the inception of Independent Group, Courtney and Mikel have been the driving force behind sales and business development, shaping our collective growth, and strengthening our commitment to serving injury victims and their...

Independent Life Insurance Company Demonstrates Strong Results in 2024

In the structured settlement annuity (SSA) industry, dominated by many of America’s largest life insurers, Independent Life Insurance Company (ILIC) achieved significant milestones in 2024. Not only did the company surpass $1 billion dollars in funded premium, but it also made national headlines in the insurance press as one of the Fastest-Growing Small to Medium Annuity Issuers,...

Celebrating Team Excellence: Laurel Rochwarger

At Independent Life we pride ourselves on delivering excellence, and today, we’re celebrating an exceptional effort by Laurel Rochwarger. Recently, Laurel went above and beyond to ensure that a crucial document was turned around to a structured settlement consultant in record time ⏱ This is a perfect example of our commitment to service and the...

Celebrating Team Excellence: Roseline Orelus

We are pleased to take this opportunity to highlight the exceptional efforts of Roseline Orelus in enforcing our Payee Protection Policy (PPP), which has significantly contributed to the protection and benefit of our policy holders. Over the past year, Roseline has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to upholding ILIC’s PPP through meticulous attention to detail and proactive...

Settlement Nation featured in The National Law Review as one of the Best Law Podcasts

Settlement Nation, the dynamic and insightful podcast dedicated to trial law, has been featured in The National Law Review as one of the best legal podcasts, as voted by their community. This recognition highlights the podcast’s outstanding contributions to the legal community, through its engaging and educational content. Each episode of Settlement Nation dives deep into the...

A 2024 Summer Paralympic Primer

Introduction The 2024 Paralympic Games, scheduled to take place in Paris from August 28 to September 8 following the Olympic Games, will provide compelling and must-watch TV particularly for structured settlement and settlement professionals and our clients. Approximately 4,400 athletes from approximately 180 countries are expected to participate. NBCUniversal will provide extensive coverage to include...