HOUSTON – The Estes Law Firm is questioning whether Allstate retained certain experts to harass and defraud its firm and possibly 10,000 other law firms.
Seeking more than $1 million in damages, Estes Law filed a class action petition against Allstate and three individuals, Marc Chapman, Rhonda Guitreau and Jana Schieber on Jan. 14 in Harris County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, Allstate has repeatedly put forth “unqualified” expert witnesses knowing they will “put out fraudulent information with the intention of preventing justice for injured citizens of Texas.”
“Allstate’s intentions are to drive up the cost of justice for citizens of this state and enhance its own profitability at the expense of injured people,” the suit states. “This Class is so numerous that joinder of all members of the Class is impracticable. The precise number of the Class is believed to exceed 10,000.”
The proposed class includes all law firms in the state of Texas who represented clients in lawsuits against Allstate and spent time responding to “improper controverting affidavits” filed by Chapman, Guitreau and Schiber.
Estes Law is questioning whether Allstate hired the three individuals knowing they were unqualified but did so anyways to harass and defraud the firm and all other members of the class.
The firm is suing for actual and punitive damages.
Estes Law is represented by Rusty Hardin & Associates in Houston.
Case No. 2021-02383