Poarch v. Alfa Mutual Insurance

Ronald Poarch sued Alfa Mutual Insurance Company (“Alfa”), claiming breach of contract and bad-faith failure to pay an insurance claim (“bad faith”). After a trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Alfa on the breach-of-contract claim, but in favor of Poarch on the bad-faith claim. The jury awarded Poarch $6,000 in compensatory damages. The Court of Civil Appeals reversed the judgment and remanded the ease for a new trial, concluding that the jury’s verdict was inconsistent. See Poarch v. Alfa Mut. Ins. Co., 799 So.2d 949 (Ala.2000). This Court granted Alfa’s petition for certiorari…