Lisa R. Weddle

As part of her healthcare practice, Lisa was an integral member of the legal team that secured summary judgment for a health plan facing class action claims related to excessive premiums. She also played a key role in securing dismissal and favorable settlements of state and ERISA class action claims against a California health plan concerning its utilization review practices for mental health treatment. Lisa has also helped achieve favorable results in other class and representative actions for health insurers and health plans, and she manages noncontracted and contracted provider dispute litigation and arbitrations for plans and payors. Lisa works with managed care clients to successfully navigate disputes in areas such as claims handling, contracted and out-of-network provider reimbursement, coverage disputes, and consumer class actions.

In the automotive arena, Lisa was part of a team that defeated certification of a nationwide class of more than 7 million vehicle owners alleging a defective design in HVAC systems that purportedly caused odors and health hazards. Lisa and the team also secured favorable dismissal of claims that led to positive resolutions for this automotive distributor and the manufacturer in two similar class actions. Lisa previously co-led a team defending an automotive distributor against more than 200 cases asserting warranty claims under California’s Song-Beverly Act.

Lisa works extensively on a wide range of pro bono matters. She was part of a team that obtained a significant class action settlement for Los Angeles County’s most destitute residents, resulting in major reforms to the county’s General Relief program, which supports those in extreme need.

Healthcare Matters

• Secured summary judgment for a health plan in a class action involving claims of unfair business practices and fraud related to allegations of excessive premiums, which was upheld on appeal 
• Secured dismissals of class allegations in two putative class actions against a California health plan concerning its utilization review practices for eating disorder and psychiatric mental health treatment and alleging violations of California and federal mental health parity acts; the cases settled favorably on an individual basis
• Secured dismissal of ERISA claims for a health insurer in a dispute with a surgery center alleging improper reduction or denial of payment due to the provider’s “fee forgiveness” activities
• Defeated certification of a nationwide class for a leading global health services company in an action challenging pharmaceutical benefits practices under ERISA and RICO
• Represented a Massachusetts health plan in ERISA putative class actions, and related individual ERISA actions, alleging breach of plan terms and violations of the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) related to coverage of wilderness programs, ranch programs, educational programs, and other alternative therapy programs; cases settled on favorable terms
• Representing a managed services organization and California health plans in dozens of litigations and arbitrations regarding contracted and out-of-network reimbursement of hospital services
• Represented a California Medi-Cal health plan in a damages retrial in the seminal California case involving determination of the reasonable and customary value of services rendered by a noncontracted hospital; case settled on favorable terms
• Represented a health plan in a class action involving claims of unfair business practices, false advertising, and violations of California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) in connection with alleged narrow networks of providers for health plans compliant with the Affordable Care Act; case settled on favorable terms
• Represented a health plan and health insurer in a representative action filed by the Los Angeles City Attorney alleging claims for violations of California's Unfair Competition Law (UCL) and False Advertising Law based on rescission of member policies; case settled on favorable terms
• Represented a group of New Mexico medical providers in arbitration regarding breach of contract claims and alleged improper marketing and advertising
• Represented an insurer, health plan, and utilization management services company in two actions brought by a hospital involving claims of negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of contract related to the denial of claims under an exclusion in an employer-sponsored plan; cases settled on favorable terms

Automotive and Financial Services Matters

• Represented an automotive company in a class action involving claims of deceptive practices for allegedly concealing a vehicle defect in the design of the HVAC system that proceeded to trial and resulted in a defense verdict
• Defeated certification of a nationwide class for an automotive distributor facing allegations that a defect in the design of the HVAC system of more than 7 million vehicles purportedly resulted in foul odors and health hazards; obtained dismissal of a similar alleged defective HVAC system design in a different model vehicle, leading to the favorable settlement of two additional proposed class actions
• Represented an airbag module manufacturer in several putative nationwide class actions in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) proceeding involving consumer fraud-based claims in various states premised on alleged defective manufacturing and design of airbag inflator
• Represented an automotive manufacturer and distributor in a putative nationwide class action alleging a defective inverter Intelligent Power Module (IPM) component in vehicles; case settled on favorable terms
• Represented an automotive distributor in more than 200 California litigations and arbitrations regarding breach of warranty (including under the Song-Beverly Act), the CLRA, fraud, and other related claims
• Secured dismissals of federal actions for a financial services client involving allegations of breach of contract relating to real estate disputes
• Represented a broker-dealer in several federal and state actions involving alleged securities fraud related to auction rate securities; cases settled on favorable terms