Recent Publication:
Location, location, location! The viability of a subrogation case will vary depending on the loss location. The combination of law and fact in one state can yield subrogation potential, whereas in another that mix can be detrimental. Each State has varying rules that impact subrogation potential,...
Joe has spent his entire career as a practicing attorney at Cozen O’Connor, where he serves as chair, technology & innovation for the Subrogation & Recovery Department. In this position, Joe assists with implementation of new technologies, applications, and workflows for the firm’s Subrogation & Recovery Department. He also co-hosts the Subrogation & Recovery Department’s podcast, “Subro on the Go,” in which he and others spotlight trending issues, new cases impacting the subrogation industry, and overall best practices. Joe is also co-chair of the department's Tech Toys & Products Task Force.
Joe has been helping insurance clients make recoveries for 20 years, employing a mix of hard work, dedication, and creativity to achieve the best possible result. He has represented property insurers in a wide variety of subrogation matters arising out of fires, water releases, product failures, mechanical system failures, roofing failures, and construction defects.
Joe assists clients by developing creative pre-suit methods to achieve recoveries, as well as cost-effective and targeted strategies for successful litigation, mediation, and arbitration of claims. He has extensive experience as lead counsel in the full gamut of recovery matters, from significant construction defect cases involving improper roofing and re-roofing projects for condominiums and commercial buildings, to product liability cases against manufacturers of lithium batteries, consumer electronics, and a variety of plumbing components and related systems. In addition to his experience practicing within the contiguous United States, Joe has litigated subrogation matters and general litigation matters in federal court in Puerto Rico. He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Court and County Court mediator.
Promoting the benefits of and advancing the education and policy interests of the subrogation industry are important to Joe. He is actively involved in the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP), including currently serving as treasurer on the Executive Committee of NASP’s board of directors. He has presented at NASP’s Annual Conferences since 2012 and co-chaired NASP’s 2018 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. Joe earned his Certified Subrogation Recovery Professional (CSRP) designation through NASP in 2019. Through these activities, Joe has developed and strengthened relationships with colleagues and service providers in the subrogation industry.
News
October 12, 2023
MIAMI, October 12, 2023 — Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Joseph Rich, a member of the firm’s Subrogation & Recovery Department, has been elected to serve as treasurer on the board of directors of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP).
April 12, 2023
Joseph F. Rich was quoted in a Law360 article discussing the important changes to Florida’s tort laws.
August 03, 2022
Joshua R. Goodman and Joseph F. Rich completed training and certification to be Civil Circuit and County mediators in the state of Florida.
March 11, 2022
Joseph Rich was quoted in the Claims Journal article discussing the process of subrogating water damage.
October 05, 2021
Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Joseph Rich, member of the firm’s Subrogation & Recovery Department, has been selected by the board of directors of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) to serve as secretary on the board’s Executive Committee.
August 20, 2018
Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the promotion of eight members to shareholders: Marc Auberbach, Jonathan Grossman, Aaron Krauss, Daniel J. Luccaro, Barbara Muller, Joseph F. Rich, Nicole Sprinzen, and Paula Zecchini.
Publications
October 15, 2024
Location, location, location! The viability of a subrogation case will vary depending on the loss location. The combination of law and fact in one state can yield subrogation potential, whereas in another that mix can be detrimental. Each State has varying rules that impact subrogation potential,...
July 02, 2024
The viability of a subrogation case will vary depending on the loss location and the facts. The combination of law and fact in one state can yield subrogation potential, whereas in another that mix can be detrimental. Each of the States have varying rules that impact subrogation potential,...
May 13, 2024
Subrogation professionals who handle losses in multiple states know that the viability of a subrogation case will vary depending on the loss location. The facts of a particular incident may have subrogation potential in one state, but not in another, as each state has varying rules that impact...
February 05, 2024
On March 24, 2023, Florida reduced the Statute of Limitations for negligence claims from 4 years to 2 years for any negligence causes of action arising after the amendment went into effect on that date. Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(a); see also Florida House Bill 837,...
January 30, 2024
Happy New Year to all of our fellow subrogation friends! Many of us use the start of the New Year to create personal New Year’s Resolutions. These resolutions are not limited to our personal lives. In this episode of Subro on the Go, regular co-hosts David Brisco and Joe Rich are joined by...
October 31, 2023
It’s that time of the year again! As the MLB World Series is underway, subrogation professionals are also gearing up for their own playoff run to reach their year-end goals, getting ready for end of the year mediations and looking to resolve those lingering pre-litigation cases with outstanding...
August 16, 2023
What is the day to day practice of subrogation going to look like in 5-6 years, or better yet, 5-6 months? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is hitting the world by storm, with all industries working to determine the role AI will play. For the subrogation industry, technology has played an...
April 26, 2023
In the first quarter of 2023, the Florida Legislature made three major changes to the Statute of Limitations for negligence claims, comparative fault rules in negligence cases, and the Statute of Repose for improvements to real property. In this episode, David Brisco (San Diego) interviews his...
April 18, 2023
Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 360, known as “An act relating to causes of action based on three improvements to real property.”
March 30, 2023
House Bill 837, “Civil Remedies,” focuses on bad faith litigation and attorney’s fee awards, and makes two important changes for negligence cases.
March 14, 2023
Subrogation involving horses? Yes, this is a real thing. In this episode, regular co-hosts, David Brisco (San Diego) and Joe Rich (Miami), are joined by their partner, Suzanne Radcliff (Dallas), who provides an overview of this niche area of subrogation to listeners. In addition to some bad horse...
January 25, 2023
Do not let your subro claim blow up in your face! Subro professionals who have handled large explosion fires know firsthand that large explosion cases are complex, with significant hurdles to fully process. In this episode of Subro on the Go, regular co-hosts Joe Rich and David Brisco are joined...
November 21, 2022
Whether it is a turkey fryer that causes an unexpected cooking fire, or mishaps with trees and decorations that make the holidays literally go up in smoke, holiday related losses are common for subrogation professionals this time of year. So while it is the season to be joyful and hum along with...
October 12, 2022
In our current episode, co-host, Joe Rich, speaks with some of our Canadian Litigators about the differences in pursuing subrogation claims in Canada versus the U.S. Joe is joined by Pamela Pengelley, Office Managing Counsel of our Firm’s Toronto Office, and David Huard, Office Managing Counsel for...
August 16, 2022
Time is money in the subrogation industry. And knowing the timeframes of when you can pursue recovery claims is an important first step in evaluating your case, including determining the scope of your early investigation. Whether you can or cannot bring a claim due to a pre-determined timeframe...
June 07, 2022
In the latest episode, co-hosts, David Brisco and Joe Rich, are joined by Dan D’Imperio, Co-Director of National Subrogation Services, to discuss the role of Predictive Analytics in the subrogation industry. Like in Back to the Future when Doc. Brown shows up at the end of the movie with a...
April 14, 2022
At one time or another, most subrogation professionals have struggled to track down an actual or alleged independent contractor involved with some scope of work relating to a loss. In some cases, we also find that defenses are being raised that someone was an independent contractor versus a direct...
April 06, 2022
It’s been two years since COVID-19 not only radically changed our daily lives but altered how recovery professionals approach litigating claims. Yes, two years have passed! In the first few months of the pandemic, courts, litigators and recovery professionals quickly adapted to use readily...
January 18, 2022
COGSA, Carmack, Allisons, and Himalaya Clause. These terms may not mean much for a traditional property subrogation professional, but if you are going to diversify into the world of ocean marine and inland marine subro, then these are a few of the many terms you will need to become familiar with....
October 21, 2021
Every subrogation case is, at its heart, a story about a loss event. As subrogation professionals, we endeavor to tell a story of the loss event and resulting damages in the most effective way possible, using photos and videos as our tools to explain liability and damages issues. Ultimately, we use...
September 07, 2021
Smart smoke detectors, vehicle data on key fobs, and geofencing are just a few of the new internet of things technologies emerging today. Subrogation professionals need to be aware of this ever-growing industry, including what new sources of data it provides to the subro investigation and what new...
July 07, 2021
Government tort claims come in a variety of shapes and sizes – broken city water main floods, bridge collapses, dam failures, government vehicles crashing into your insured’s building, etc. And just as the types of losses vary, so do the requirements regarding both placing the government entity on...
May 26, 2021
Joe Rich discusses the 11th Circuit's decision in Moore v. Intuitive Surgical Inc.
September 29, 2020
Joe Rich and Rick Maleski discuss the 4th District Court of Appeals in Florida's decision in P&G Trucking of Brandon, Inc., et. al. v. Riverland Hedging & Topping, Inc. et. al.
May 15, 2020
Joe Rich discusses the Five Mile Swamp Fire, including location, property impacted, and it's status.