Марк Герагос бореться за виплату страхових платежів для вірмен
06/12/2005 | Sztefan von Seitz
Юрист Марк Герагос, вірменський американцець, виграв минулого року class action для 3000 позовів вірмен проти страхової компанії, яка раніше не виплатила страхові платежі жертвам геноциду вірмен у 1914 році.
Зараз він готує ще один груповий позов (class action) щодо іншої страхової компанії.
Всі позови підтверджуються полісами, які були представлені судові.
July 30 Hearing for Final Settlement in New York Life/Armenian Genocide-Era Beneficiaries
GERAGOS & GERAGOS, P.C.
Two California Plaza • 350 South Grand Avenue • 39th Floor • Los Angeles, California 90071-3406
Telephone: (213) 625-3900 • Fax: (213) 625-1600
MEDIA NOTE: Plaintiffs' attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Vartkes
Yeghiayan, Mark J. Geragos and William Shernoff will make statements
and take questions immediately after the completion of the hearing outside the courthouse.
One of the longest ongoing legal sagas in U.S. history is coming
to an end Friday, July 30. After 89 years of off again-on again legal
wrangling, a hearing for final approval in the New York Life/Armenian
Genocide-era beneficiaries' settlement will be held:
Friday, July 30, 2004
9:30 a.m.
United States Judge Christina A. Snyder
Courtroom 5
United States District Court
312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, California
The court is expected to give final approval to a $20 million
settlement in Martin Marootian, et al., v. New York Life Insurance
Company, Defendant, Case No. C99-12073 CAS (MCx).
Prior to 1915, New York Life sold life insurance policies to
thousands of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. New York Life
policyholders were among the 1.5 million Armenians massacred during
the Genocide. Many of the policy heirs were unable or unaware that
they may be entitled to insurance benefits. While New York Life was
able to find and pay many beneficiaries, the insurance company
acknowledged its records indicated an estimated 2,300 policies sold to
Armenians prior to the Genocide remained unpaid.
"This is the first time a court anywhere in the U.S. or possibly
the world has formally recognized the Armenian Genocide and the trauma
and turmoil that resulted," says Brian S. Kabateck, one of the
attorneys representing the plaintiffs, who himself is of Armenian
descent and lost family in the Genocide. "All of us are crusaders,
especially the three Armenian lawyers who took on the case. While this
settlement is not reparation for the Genocide, as lawyers, we can help
bring recognition to the Genocide through claims for unpaid insurance
benefits and stolen property that date back to 1915."
Other attorneys for the plaintiffs are Vartkes Yeghiayan, Mark J.
Geragos and William Shernoff. "By making these claims, heirs will
receive the benefits due them," says Kabateck, "but more importantly,
it's a significant step that further recognizes the Armenian Genocide,
something that the United States and Turkey still refuse to do."
The court had given preliminary approval to the settlement in
January. A three-member Settlement Fund Board, with members appointed
by California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, will approve
claims. The board will also be responsible for distributing $3 million
of the settlement to nine Armenian charitable organizations. The class
includes Armenians living in the United States and abroad.
Notification of the final settlement will be advertised in
newspapers in the United States, France, Argentina, Russia, Lebanon
and Armenia. Information will also be available at:
www.armenianinsurancesettlement.com. Beneficiaries will have six
months to file a notice of claim. The board will then contact
beneficiaries with instructions for completing the appropriate claim
forms.
The following Armenian organizations will share equally in the $3
million fund. If heirs do not come forward for policy benefits, more
money will be distributed to additional charities.
Armenian Church of North America Eastern Diocese
New York, New York
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern US and Canada
New York, New York
Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese
Burbank, California
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Los Angeles, California
Armenian Apostolic Catholic Exarchate
For Armenian Catholics in the US & Canada
New York, New York
Armenian Missionary Association of America, Inc.
Paramus, New Jersey
Armenian Relief Society, United States Chapter
Watertown, Massachusetts
Armenian General Benevolent Union
New York, New York
Armenian Educational Foundation
Glendale, California
$20M Settlement For Armenians
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2004
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/29/national/main596570.shtml
Зараз він готує ще один груповий позов (class action) щодо іншої страхової компанії.
Всі позови підтверджуються полісами, які були представлені судові.
July 30 Hearing for Final Settlement in New York Life/Armenian Genocide-Era Beneficiaries
GERAGOS & GERAGOS, P.C.
Two California Plaza • 350 South Grand Avenue • 39th Floor • Los Angeles, California 90071-3406
Telephone: (213) 625-3900 • Fax: (213) 625-1600
MEDIA NOTE: Plaintiffs' attorneys Brian S. Kabateck, Vartkes
Yeghiayan, Mark J. Geragos and William Shernoff will make statements
and take questions immediately after the completion of the hearing outside the courthouse.
One of the longest ongoing legal sagas in U.S. history is coming
to an end Friday, July 30. After 89 years of off again-on again legal
wrangling, a hearing for final approval in the New York Life/Armenian
Genocide-era beneficiaries' settlement will be held:
Friday, July 30, 2004
9:30 a.m.
United States Judge Christina A. Snyder
Courtroom 5
United States District Court
312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, California
The court is expected to give final approval to a $20 million
settlement in Martin Marootian, et al., v. New York Life Insurance
Company, Defendant, Case No. C99-12073 CAS (MCx).
Prior to 1915, New York Life sold life insurance policies to
thousands of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire. New York Life
policyholders were among the 1.5 million Armenians massacred during
the Genocide. Many of the policy heirs were unable or unaware that
they may be entitled to insurance benefits. While New York Life was
able to find and pay many beneficiaries, the insurance company
acknowledged its records indicated an estimated 2,300 policies sold to
Armenians prior to the Genocide remained unpaid.
"This is the first time a court anywhere in the U.S. or possibly
the world has formally recognized the Armenian Genocide and the trauma
and turmoil that resulted," says Brian S. Kabateck, one of the
attorneys representing the plaintiffs, who himself is of Armenian
descent and lost family in the Genocide. "All of us are crusaders,
especially the three Armenian lawyers who took on the case. While this
settlement is not reparation for the Genocide, as lawyers, we can help
bring recognition to the Genocide through claims for unpaid insurance
benefits and stolen property that date back to 1915."
Other attorneys for the plaintiffs are Vartkes Yeghiayan, Mark J.
Geragos and William Shernoff. "By making these claims, heirs will
receive the benefits due them," says Kabateck, "but more importantly,
it's a significant step that further recognizes the Armenian Genocide,
something that the United States and Turkey still refuse to do."
The court had given preliminary approval to the settlement in
January. A three-member Settlement Fund Board, with members appointed
by California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, will approve
claims. The board will also be responsible for distributing $3 million
of the settlement to nine Armenian charitable organizations. The class
includes Armenians living in the United States and abroad.
Notification of the final settlement will be advertised in
newspapers in the United States, France, Argentina, Russia, Lebanon
and Armenia. Information will also be available at:
www.armenianinsurancesettlement.com. Beneficiaries will have six
months to file a notice of claim. The board will then contact
beneficiaries with instructions for completing the appropriate claim
forms.
The following Armenian organizations will share equally in the $3
million fund. If heirs do not come forward for policy benefits, more
money will be distributed to additional charities.
Armenian Church of North America Eastern Diocese
New York, New York
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church Eastern US and Canada
New York, New York
Armenian Church of North America Western Diocese
Burbank, California
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Los Angeles, California
Armenian Apostolic Catholic Exarchate
For Armenian Catholics in the US & Canada
New York, New York
Armenian Missionary Association of America, Inc.
Paramus, New Jersey
Armenian Relief Society, United States Chapter
Watertown, Massachusetts
Armenian General Benevolent Union
New York, New York
Armenian Educational Foundation
Glendale, California
$20M Settlement For Armenians
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29, 2004
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/29/national/main596570.shtml