Robert S. Gianelli
Los Angeles Insurance Attorney
Rob Gianelli has established himself as a leading California attorney handling insurance “bad faith” cases and class actions. He has represented policyholders in a wide range of disputes: health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, property insurance, and others.
Mr. Gianelli received one of California Lawyer magazine’s Attorney of the Year (CLAY) awards for his work as lead attorney in a class action against Kaiser for its refusal to provide certain types of treatment for autistic children. Arce v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Los Angeles Superior Court No. BC 388689. For his work on this case, Mr. Gianelli was also chosen as a Finalist for the Consumer Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California.
Mr. Gianelli won a $7.2 million jury verdict in a case against a managed care company over its failure to provide a Health Net member with a timely referral to a surgeon. LaRue v. Health Net of California, Inc. et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court No. BC566095.
Robert Gianelli won a class action trial against Kaiser for its violation of California’s reconstructive surgery law. Gallimore v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Alameda County Superior Court No. RG12-616206. This resulted in thousands of Kaiser members becoming eligible for excess skin surgery with an estimated benefit of more than $150 million.
Attorney Gianelli was chosen as a Finalist for the Consumer Attorney of the Year in a case where he represented a class of 7,700 senior citizens who were sold deceptive annuities. Stephens v. American Equity Investment Life Ins. Co., San Luis Obispo Superior Court Case No. CV040965. Mr. Gianelli was successful in winning phase one of a trial in that matter for $15.4 million which ultimately resulted in a total settlement of $47,000,000.
Mr. Gianelli received the Consumer Attorneys of California’s “Street Fighter of the Year” award, along with Gianelli & Morris attorney Joshua Davis and co-counsel Conal Doyle, for their work in a class action that led to amputees being able to get prosthetic limbs after being unlawfully denied by their insurer. Trujillo, et al. v. United Healthcare Insurance Company (C.D. Cal.) Case No.: 5:17-CV-2547 JFW.
Gianelli has been appointed lead counsel in a number of other significant insurance class actions, including: Sanchez v. Allianz Life Insurance Company, Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. BC594715; Dion v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Alameda County Superior Court, Case No. RG14718903; Bodner v. Blue Shield of California Life and Health Insurance Company, Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. BC516868; Escalante v. California Physicians’ Service (C.D. Cal.) Case No. 14-CV-3021; Peterman v. North American Co. for Life & Health, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC 357194; Iorio v. Allianz Life Ins. Co. of N. America (S.D. Cal.) Case No. 05-CV-0633 IEG; and Kavruck v. Blue Cross of California, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC 160180.
Mr. Gianelli has also been the attorney for the policyholder in a number of published decisions. These cases include: Baglione v. Health Net of California (2023) 97 Cal.App.5th 882; Hendricks v. Aetna Life Insurance Co. (C.D. Cal. 2021) 339 F.R.D. 143; Escalante v. Blue Shield of California (C.D. Cal. 2015) 309 F.R.D. 612; Rodriguez v. Blue Cross of Calif. (2008) 162 Cal.App.4th 330; Kavruck v. Blue Cross of California (2003) 108 Cal.App.4th 773; IT Corp. v. General American (9th Cir. 1997) 107 F.3d 1415; American States Ins. Co. v. Borbor (9th Cir. 1987) 826 F.2d 888.
