scales of justice cropped.jpg
A David-vs-Goliath lawsuit pits locally owned Hampshire Towing against the National Insurance Crime Bureau and Amica Insurance. The plaintiffs, the Johnson family, allege that the insurance-industry defendants conspired to interfere with Hampshire Towing's contract with the city of Holyoke. The lawsuit was filed last month in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton.
(The Republican file photo)
NORTHAMPTON — A South Hadley-based towing company is suing the National Insurance Crime Bureau for alleged contractual interference.
Attorney Patrick Matthews, on behalf of Hampshire Towing, a family-owned company headed by William E. Johnson, filed the complaint in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton, alleging that the NICB and Amica Insurance "intentionally interfered with a towing contract the Johnson family had with the City of Holyoke."
Details of the lawsuit were not immediately available, but the case involves allegations that the defendants contacted the towing company's customer – the city of Holyoke, in this case – and made "unfounded claims of impropriety," Matthews said.
"I hope this suit sends a clear and concise message to the NICB and the insurance industry that the intentional meddling in contractual relationships that a towing company is party to will not be tolerated," Johnson said.
"My family suffered as a result of this external interference for eighteen months, when we were removed from the towing rotation in the City of Holyoke," Johnson said. "I had to prove that we did nothing wrong, and my family is grateful to Mayor (Alex) Morse for taking the time to understand the issues and reinstate our company."
South Hadley-based Hampshire Towing filed the lawsuit in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton.
According to Matthews, NICB and Amica conspired to scuttle Hampshire Towing's city contract, among other things.
"We do not expect this will be any easy battle given the insurance industries resources, but we are more than up for the fight," the lawyer said.