Lisa Bonanni is an Associate in the Firm's Insurance and Reinsurance Services Group.

Lisa focuses her practice on insurance coverage litigation, concerning commercial property, casualty, additional insured and construction matters. She has experience handling coverage matters from inception to trial, securing favorable outcomes for insurers at courts in all five of New York City’s boroughs, Long Island and surrounding jurisdictions in New York State. She also handles professional liability coverage matters.

In addition to her litigation expertise, Lisa aids clients with her careful analysis of various coverage issues. Lisa advises insurers on issues of coverage as to additional insureds in both pursuing and defending against declaratory matters. She is also experienced in providing carriers with detailed coverage opinions on complex coverage matters, including claims involving water damage, business interruption, construction accidents and vandalism. Furthermore, Lisa has advised insurers on matters involving bad faith claims brought by insureds, as well as preparing and litigating rescission actions due to an insured’s material misrepresentation or fraud.

Before handling insurance coverage matters, Lisa became proficient in defending insurers and insureds in personal injury litigation involving motor vehicle accidents and premises liability. She also managed cases involving issues of companies in the business of leasing and renting vehicles, as well as no-fault litigation.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Defended commercial general liability insurer in coverage dispute with insurers for owner and general contractor regarding potential additional insured coverage with respect to liability for accident involving a subcontractor’s employee.
• Represented commercial general liability insurer in declaratory judgment action seeking additional insured coverage for its general contractor insured in subcontractor’s employee’s construction site injury suit.
• Defended commercial general liability insurer in dispute over coverage for owner as additional insured against our insured general contractor for non-employee construction site injury suit resulting from possible negligence of another general contractor and mutual subcontractor.
• Defended commercial property insurer in dispute over property damage coverage where insured premises were allegedly damaged by Hurricane Sandy flood waters and storm surge.
• Secured successful summary judgment motion decision in which bad faith was dismissed and insured’s claim was limited due to policy condition requiring NFIP coverage.
• Obtained favorable appellate motion decision overturning lower court on issue of privileged attorney reports to client insurer.
• Defended commercial property insurer in coverage dispute with two related insureds over alleged vandalism damage to two old vacant properties and prepared matter for lengthy trial that resulted in a favorable verdict.
• Handled issues of potential material misrepresentations made by insureds both in underwriting and in the claim, as well as damage resulting from theft which was excluded under the policy and failure to secure property/cooperate with insurer.
• Represented commercial property insurer in declaratory judgment action against insured seeking rescission of the policy issued due to material misrepresentations made by the insured in its insurance application. Defeated insured’s summary judgment motion seeking dismissal of such action and prepared matter for trial.

Speaking Engagements

Presenter, “Personal Injury from A to Z,” NBI, Inc., December 2019

Community Service

Outside of Coughlin Midlige & Garland, Lisa volunteers at the Brookhaven, New York Chapter of Dress For Success. She is also an active member of the Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) and its racing team, Fast Feet.