“A Promise to Protect Should Not Be Broken”: Pesek Law Secures $11.3 Million Verdict in Insurance Bad Faith Case

A Douglas County jury awarded $11.3 million to an Omaha mother of 10 after finding Farmers Insurance acted in bad faith by denying a life insurance claim.

OMAHA, NE, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 26, 2026- A Douglas County jury awarded $11.3 million to an Omaha mother of 10 on Oct. 16 in an insurance bad faith case involving the denial of her late husband’s life insurance claim. Pesek Law attorneys Ross Pesek and Alejandra Ayotitla represented the woman at trial. (Case CI 22-2057)

The verdict followed years of litigation and two jury trials. Behind the legal proceedings was a family struggling to move forward after losing a husband and father during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During his opening statement, Pesek told jurors:
“A promise to protect should not be broken.”
That promise, and the consequences of breaking it, were at the heart of the case.

The protection a family counted on
The woman and her husband raised a blended family of 10 children and operated a family business in Omaha.
Her husband already had life insurance when a Farmers Insurance agent approached him about transferring his insurance business. In 2018, he replaced his existing coverage with a $350,000 life insurance policy from Farmers, intended to replace his income if he died. Premiums were approximately $800 a month.
In May 2020, the couple welcomed their youngest child. Later that month, her husband was hospitalized with COVID-19. He died May 31, 2020.

While grieving and caring for a newborn, the woman sought the life insurance benefits her husband had purchased to protect their family.

A denial and a dispute over what the insurer knew
Farmers denied the claim in September 2020, citing answers about her husband’s medical history on the insurance application. The company offered to return approximately $17,000 in premiums rather than pay the $350,000 benefit.
The woman challenged the denial.

At trial, Pesek Law presented evidence that included text messages notifying the insurance agent of a hospitalization involving her husband’s heart, along with disclosures in a subsequent medical questionnaire.
The attorneys argued that the agent had entered incorrect answers on the application and that Farmers disregarded information that should have prompted further investigation before issuing coverage.
Farmers maintained that its investigation provided a reasonable basis for denying the claim.

Two trials, two distinct questions
In March 2026, a Douglas County jury found that Farmers breached the insurance contract, rejected its fraudulent misrepresentation defense and awarded the $350,000 policy benefit.
The October trial addressed a separate question: whether Farmers acted in bad faith and what additional harm its conduct caused.

Evidence presented at trial described financial pressure, borrowing from family, business obligations and the repossession of the husband’s truck. The woman’s mother moved into the household to help care for the children, while her son set aside his plans to take on substantial responsibilities in the family business.
Farmers disputed the extent and cause of the claimed damages.

As Pesek explained in his closing argument:
“It’s not based on the contract. It’s based on the harm.”
The jury found that Farmers acted in bad faith and awarded $11.3 million in damages.
David, Goliath and the power of a jury
During his closing argument, Pesek drew on the story of David and Goliath to illustrate the imbalance of power between an individual and a large corporation.

“There is one moment that even Goliath fears. It’s this moment. It’s accountability because of a jury.”
For years, the woman faced an insurance company with substantial resources to investigate, defend and litigate its position. A jury trial gave her the opportunity to present her case to members of her community and ask them to decide whether the insurer should be held accountable.

Near the end of his closing argument, Pesek spoke about the woman’s persistence:
“Takes faith. Takes faith for Miss Ramos to think that maybe someday there’ll be justice in our community and our world. That if she just holds the line, maybe someday the table will turn. It’ll be up to you to decide if that day is today.”

On Oct. 16, 2026, the jury delivered its answer. The verdict marked the conclusion of the second jury trial in a case that required years of litigation and preparation. It also underscored the role of juries in resolving disputes between individuals and powerful institutions. Learn more at www.peseklaw.com.

Ross Pesek
Pesek Law LLC
+1 402-342-9684

Media gallery