Following a complex insurance dispute involving alleged arson and the destruction of artwork, the court determined the appropriate costs payable by the insurer to the plaintiff after two trials.
The court reviewed legal fees from multiple law firms and reduced several claimed amounts where work was unrelated to the litigation or where hourly rates were excessive for counsel’s level of experience.
Expert witness fees for an appraisal report valuing destroyed artwork were also scrutinized, with the court reducing the claimed preparation time and attributing only two‑thirds of the report’s cost to the litigation because part of the work related to the insurance proof of loss requirement.
The court rejected a claim for contractual interest of 2% per month on the expert’s fees but awarded prejudgment interest at the average annual statutory rate.
The defendant’s partial success on a punitive damages claim did not justify a reduction in the plaintiff’s costs.
