Stupak sued by son over accident, in turn sues insurer

Wednesday, April 4, 2001 | 11:18 a.m.

Casino maverick Bob Stupak, who along with his son Nevada Stupak was hurt in a motorcycle accident in 1995, sued two insurance companies, alleging their failure to provide under-insured motorist coverage for his son's claims caused him to be sued by his son.

In a Clark County District Court suit filed Friday, Stupak, who said he had a valid motorcycle and automobile insurance policy at the time of the accident on March 31, 1995, sued Progressive Insurance Co. of Cleveland and its subsidiary Progressive Northwestern Insurance Co., alleging he was sued by his son after their insurance adjustors allegedly failed to respond to Nevada's claims for more than $100,000 in damages.

Stupak was the driver of a motorcycle and his son a passenger when they were involved in a crash with an automobile.

Stupak said he was entitled to be "fully indemnified and held harmless" from a lawsuit filed by his son because his son was an intended beneficiary under his policy.

Nevada Stupak sued his father and the insurance companies on Friday, alleging the insurers failed to pay an additional $100,000 that he claims "represents a substantial compromise from (Nevada's) true entitlement under Bob Stupak's motorcycle insurance."

Nevada said he had filed a personal injury lawsuit against the party who was driving the automobile, and settled that case for $22,000, but said this was "insufficient to cover medical bills, loss of employment, pain and suffering and future pain and suffering."

Leslie Kolleda, Progressive insurance's spokeswoman, declined comment on the allegations in the two lawsuits.

The elder Stupak was driving a Harley-Davidson south on Rancho Drive the night of the accident with his son riding as a passenger. Bob Stupak was in a coma for 12 days after suffering massive head and facial injuries and other broken bones. Nevada Stupak, who was 19 at the time, said he suffered injuries to his neck, head, back, legs and mental stress and anxiety.

Stupak's motorcycle collided with an allegedly improperly turning Subaru. The driver of the car claimed Stupak was driving too fast.