State Farm Settles Katrina Case in Mississippi

A lawyer says State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. has settled a civil lawsuit with a Mississippi couple whose Biloxi home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Jack Denton, attorney for Norman and Genevieve Broussard, said the confidential settlement was reached April 25.

A jury awarded $2.5 million in punitive damages to the Broussards in 2007.

U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr. later reduced that amount to $1 million. Then the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new trial, saying Senter shouldn’t have allowed jurors to consider punitive damages.

State Farm spokesman Jonathan Freed said the company is pleased with the settlement.