, Columnist
Covid-19 Lawsuits Are Running Into Skeptical Judges
Companies hoping their business interruption insurance would bail them out are finding it hard to get insurers to pay.
This summer we had protests; now we’ve got lawsuits.
Photographer: Erik McGregor/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
When should the Covid-19 pandemic — or the restrictions imposed in its wake — excuse you from a contract? The courts have been struggling with this issue for months now, and the answer until recently has been ... almost never.
That’s in keeping with a long U.S. tradition under which each party to a contract essentially bears the risk of its own promises. But there have been calls for change, and some judges may be listening.