Paul M. Belnap
Shareholder
Paul has over 35 years of experience representing clients in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation cases, product liability cases, professional liability cases, and transportation cases. He handles matters involving litigated claims, administrative claims, arbitration, mediation or negotiation of legal issues and helps clients resolve claims before litigation through alternative dispute forums when possible.
Paul has successfully concluded over 40 bad faith cases on motions for summary judgment and tried several others to successful conclusions. He handles issues including first- and third-party defense, defense of agents, and related coverage litigation. He has successfully defended large product liability cases ranging from construction products to power equipment. In addition to these products, he has defended cases involving motor vehicle/wrecker design and manufacturing equipment. He also handles matters in areas of personal injury and property damage defense, and first-party auto issues.
Paul has extensive experience in all stages of litigation in both state and federal courts, including jury trial and appellate practice. He has experience trying cases before both United States District courts and Utah State Trial Courts. He has argued over 35 cases in appellate courts including before the Utah Supreme Court, Utah Appellate Court, and 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Professional Associations
American Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Davis County Bar Association
Salt Lake County Bar Association
Weber County Bar Association
Master of the Bench, Rex E. Lee Inns of Court
President, Rex E. Lee Inns of Court, 2002
Member, Utah State Bar Committee, “Improving Jury Service”, 2001-2004
Member, Advisory Committee, Utah State Bar on Model Civil Jury Institutions
Awards & Recognitions
“AV” rated with Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating awarded to attorneys for professional competence and ethics
“Defense Lawyer of the Year”, 2003
Recognized in Utah Business Magazine’s “Utah Legal Elite”
Recognized as a Mountain States Super Lawyer by Mountain States Super Lawyers magazine
Education
Admissions
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Commercial Litigation
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Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation
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Products Liability
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Professional Liability
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Transportation
Martinez v. Dale, 476 P.3d 136 (Utah Ct. App. 2020)
Healy-Petrik v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, 2020 WL 6273771 (D. Utah 2020)
Christensen v. Mid-Century Insurance Company, 2020 WL 619437 (D. Utah 2020)
Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy v. Sorf, 445 P.3d 443 (Utah 2019)
Marc v. Travelers Commerical Insurance Company, 2019 WL 4416144 (D. Utah 2019)
Bridge BLOQ NAC LLC v. Sorf, 447 P.3d 1278 (Utah Ct. App. 2019)
Christensen v. Mid-Century Insurance, 2019 WL 2173677 (D. Utah 2019)
Delta Stone Products v. Xpertfreight, 304 F.Supp.3d 1119 (D. Utah 2018)
Decker v. Target Corporation, 2018 WL 4956641 (D. Utah 2018)
Decker v. Target Corporation, 2018 WL 7350627 (D. Utah 2018)
National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA v. Smaistrala, 436 P.3d 249 (Utah Ct. App. 2018)
Decker v. Target Corporation, 2018 WL 4921534 (D. Utah 2018)
Frugal Flamingo Quick Stop v. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, 420 P.3d 57 (Utah Ct. App. 2018)
Hoopes v. Owners Insurance Company, 2018 WL 3320799 (D. Utah 2018)
In the Matter of Doe by and through Bacon v. Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company, 2017 WL 5032526 (D. Utah 2017)
Dircks v. The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, 416 P.3d 376 (Utah 2017)
Delta Stone Products v. Xpertfreight, 2017 WL 3491845 (D. Utah 2017)
Auto-Owners Insurance Company v. Fleming, 701 Fed.Appx. 738 (10th Cir. 2017)
Awadh v. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, 687 Fed.Appx. 735 (10th Cir. 2017)
Choquette v. Williams, 2017 WL 6542451 (D. Utah 2017)
Falkenrath v. Candela Corp., 374 P.3d 1028 (Utah Ct. App. 2016)
Auto-Owners Insurance Company v. Timbersmith, Inc., 2016 WL 3356800 (D. Utah 2016)
Awadh v. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, 2016 WL 3920177 (D. Utah 2016
Christensen v. Piceance Well Service, Inc., 2016 WL 6967848 (D. Utah 2016)
Christensen v. Piceance Well Service, Inc., 2016 WL 6956605 (D. Utah 2016)
Simler v. Chilel, 379 P.3d 1195 (Utah 2016)
Herland v. Izatt, 345 P.3d 661 (Utah 2015)
Vincent v. Utah Plastic Surgery Soc., 621 Fed.Appx. 546 (10th Cir. 2015)
Kingston v. State Farm Auto. Ins. Co., 344 P.3d 167 (Utah Ct. App. 2015)
Awadh v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 2015 WL 4771733 (D. Utah 2015)
Eldredge v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 2014 WL 12600133 (D. Utah 2014)
Wright v. PK Transport, 325 P.3d 894 (Utah Ct. App. 2014)
Eldredge v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2014 WL 1875663 (D. Utah 2014)
Metropolitan Water Dist. of Salt Lake and Sandy v. Sorf, 304 P.3d 824 (Utah 2013)
Hill v. Superior Property Management Services, Inc., 321 P.3d 1054 (Utah 2013)
Utah Property & Cas. Ins. Guar. Ass’n v. Travelers Indem. Co. of Illinois, 2013 WL 4507916 (D. Utah 2013)
Cannon v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2013 WL 5563303 (D. Utah 2013)
Chipping v. Fleming Law Firm, 2013 WL 3246113 (D. Utah 2013)
Vincent v. Utah Plastic Surgery Soc., 2013 WL 4782354 (D. Utah 2013)
Sewell v. Xpress Lube, 321 P.3d 1080 (Utah 2013)
Espinoza v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co., 2013 WL 4854451 (D. Utah 2013)
Espinoza v. State Farm Fire, 2013 WL 11326736 (D. Utah 2013)
Salazar v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2012 WL 4056068 (D. Utah 2012)
Martin v. Fresenius USA Mfg., Inc., 2012 WL 1448052 (D. Utah 2012)
Iverson v. State Farm Mut. Ins. Co., 256 P.3d 222 (Utah 2011)
Pelletier v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 2011 WL 776226 (D. Utah 2011)
Chimera Inv. Co. v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 268 Fed.Appx. 793 (10th Cir. 2008)
Li v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. of Utah, 150 P.3d 471 (Utah 2006)
Big Sky Finance Co. v. Lawyers Title Ins. Corp., 2006 UT App 337 (Utah Ct. App. 2006)
Crabb v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co., 2006 WL 1214998 (D. Utah 2006)
Chimera Inv. Co. v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 2006 WL 2819539 (D. Utah 2006)
Johnson v. Stock, 2005 WL 1349963 (10th Cir. 2005)
Century Indem. Co. v. Hanover Ins. Co., 417 F.3d 1156 (10th Cir. 2005)
Afridi v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 122 P.3d 596 (Utah 2005)
Kirby v. Teachers Ins. Co., 2005 WL 1000249 (D. Utah 2005)
Campbell v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 98 P.3d 409 (Utah 2004)
Harris v. Albrecht, 2004 UT 13 (Utah, 2004)
Campbell v. State Farm Mut. Auto Inc. Co., 538 U.S. 408 (U.S., 2003)
Bishop v. GenTec, 48 P.3d 281 (Utah 2002)
Campbell v. State Farm Mut. Auto Inc. Co., 65 P.3D 1134 (Utah, 2001)
Holmes v. American States Ins. Co., 1 P.3d 552 (Utah Ct. App., 2000)
Olsen v. McMillen Elec., 976 P.2d 606 (Utah 1999)
National Serv. Indus. V. B.W. Norton Mfg. Co., 937 P.2d 551, (Utah Ct. App; 1997)
Packer v. National Serv. Indus., 909 P.2d 1277, (Utah Ct. App; 1997)
Askew v. Hardman, 918 P.2d 469. (Utah, 1996)
Avertt v. Grange, 909 P.2d 246, (Utah 1995)
Sullivan v. Scoular Grain Co., 853 P.2d 877, (Utah 1993)
Freund v. Utah Power & Light, 793 P.2d 1087, (Utah, 1990)
Horton v. Goldminer’s Daughter, 785 P.2d 1087; (Utah 1989)
Overthurst Constructors, Inc. v. Home Ins. Co., 676 F. Supp 1086, (D. Utah, 1989)
Wagenman v. State Farm Ins., 726 F. Supp. 1239, (D. Utah, 1989)
Gagon v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 771 P.2d 325, (Utah, 1988)
Gagon v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 746 P.2d 1194 (Utah Ct. App., 1987)
Freund v. Utah Power & Light, 625 F. Supp. 272, (D. Utah, 1985)