ALLSTATE NEW JERSEY INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE INDEMNITY COMPANY, ALLSTATE PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE NEW JERSEY PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ENCOMPASS INSURANCE, F/K/A CONTINENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY, AND COMMERCIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEWARK, NJ, PLAINTIFFS-RESPONDENTS, v. GREGORIO LAJARA; PEDRO GONZALEZ; MILEYDIS T. DIAZ A/K/A MILLY DIAZ; AWILDA D. RODRIGUEZ A/K/A AWILDA D. GONZALEZ; KENNETH J. VIAFORA; JOSE ORLANDO HERNANDEZ; FRANCISCA HERNANDEZ; FRANCISCO CABA; AQUALINA RAMOS; ASHRAF Y. AZIR; MUHAMMAD A. SHAMSHAIR; MICHAEL C. GOLOWSKI; ELVIA BEDOYA; NYDIA MARTINEZ; NEREDA ZUNIGA; ALEXANDRA GALLEGOS; BIBARS KAGHDOU, D.C.; STEPHEN LOMANTO, D.C.; DAVID STEPHENS, D.C.; THOMAS J. BONACUSO, D.C., MICHAEL CARLESIMO, D.C.; BRYAN SIEGEL, D.C.; KEITH LEWANDOWSKI, D.C.; WEI JU; LUCY LIU; JIANMIN LI, A/K/A JIAN MIN LI; SHAN S. NAGENDRA, M.D.; ALEKSANDR LEVIN, M.D.; MANOJ D. PATHARKAR, M.D.; ALFRED REZK TAWADROUS, M.D.; HOWARD KESSLER, M.D.; NATALIO DAMIEN, M.D.; DAVID WALKER, ESQ.; MEDICO MANAGEMENT CO., INC.; UNION COLLECTIONS, LLC; PLAINFIELD MEDICAL MANAGEMENT, INC.; SPINAL ADJUSTMENT CENTER, P.C. F/K/A SPINAL ADJUSTMENT CENTER, INC.; RAHWAY SPINAL INJURY P.C. F/K/A RAHWAY SPINAL CENTER CORP.; ADVANCED SPINAL CARE, P.C.; MILLENNIUM TOTAL HEALTH, P.C.; ALEVE CHIROPRACTIC, P.C.; INLINE CHIROPRACTIC, P.C.; BAYVIEW HEALTH, P.C.; A/K/A BAYVIEW HEALTH SERVICE, P.C.; BOUND BROOK CHIROPRACTIC, P.C.; NEW WAVE CHIROPRACTIC, P.C.; ABSOLUTE CHIROPRACTIC, P.C.; BACK PAIN P.C.; AM PAIN CARE, P.C.; ACUPUNCTURE ACADEMY P.C.; TCM ACUPUNCTURE P.C.; AMERICAN ACUPUNCTURE ACADEMY, P.C.; CONVERY MEDICAL GROUP, P.C.; RARITAN PAIN MANAGEMENT AND REHAB CENTER, P.C.; ASBURY MEDICAL AND REHABILITATION P.C.; PAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES OF CENTRAL JERSEY, P.A.; BEST HEALTH MEDICAL, P.C.; PERTH AMBOY HEALTH CARE, LLC D/B/A "PERTH AMBOY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING"; LIBERTY SUPPLIES, L.L.C.; K-MED SERVICES, INC.; PRESTIGE MEDICAL SUPPLIES, LLC; THERAPEUTIC DEVICES, INC., DEFENDANTS, AND A.P. DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, INC. AND DR. HARSHAD PATEL, DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS., 222 N.J. 129
Summary
HOLDINGS: [1]-The Court held that the right to a civil jury trial provided by N.J. Const. art. I, para. 9 applies to private-action claims seeking compensatory and punitive damages under the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act (IFPA), N.J.S.A. §§ 17:33A-1 to 17:33A-30; [2]-As a result, the Court held that in the underlying private-party IFPA action, the right to a jury trial was compelled by N.J. Const. art. I, para. 9 and that the right to a jury trial was implied in the IFPA by the New Jersey Legislature's choice of legal remedies and by the similarities between an IFPA action and common-law fraud.