Court awards Liberty Mutual subsidiary $19,893 in total-loss claim plus interest and fees

Judge Tammy Long Hayward entered a judgment in favor of LM Insurance Corporation (Liberty Mutual) for $19,893.27, representing fair-market value less salvage, plus $1,173.15 in prejudgment interest and $1,500 in attorney fees after the defendant failed to contest damages.

Why it matters: the award resolves a property-damage claim tied to an insured vehicle declared a total loss; the prejudgment interest and attorney-fee awards reflect statutory remedies available to plaintiffs that prevail in default contexts.

At the Jan. 15 hearing, LM presented Craig Shea, a program manager for collision centers at Liberty Mutual, as an expert on vehicle valuation and repair practices. Shea testified the pre-loss fair-market value of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox was $21,005.46, salvage recovery was $2,528.14, yielding a net of $18,986.52. Loss-of-use (rental) of $906.75 produced a total damage figure of $19,893.27. Plaintiff counsel also sought prejudgment interest calculated under O.C.G.A. §51-12-14 ($1,173.15) and attorney’s fees of $1,500 under O.C.G.A. §13-6-11, citing the complaint’s fee request and time spent on the matter.

Judge Hayward found the defendant had been served and did not appear to challenge the damages; the court awarded the principal amount of $19,893.27, prejudgment interest of $1,173.15, attorney’s fees of $1,500, and court costs. The judge directed counsel to provide a proposed order to the clerk for signature.

Court action: final money judgment entered in favor of LM Insurance Corporation for $22,566.42 (principal $19,893.27 + prejudgment interest $1,173.15 + $1,500 attorney fee) plus court costs, per court’s oral ruling; clerk to enter written order.

Speakers quoted and paraphrased are taken from the hearing transcript and attributed to their courtroom roles.