Matthew Zamites
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| Office: | Philadelphia, PA |
| Position: | Associate |
| Phone: | (215) 931-5896 |
| Email: | mzamites@margolisedelstein.com |
Matthew Zamites was born and raised in Philadelphia and has been a lifelong resident. He has been a member of the Pennsylvania Bar since 1998 and has been associated with the firm since 2000. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Zamites was associated with a small boutique insurance defense litigation firm. He has practiced almost exclusively in the insurance defense field since 1998. In addition, he is a certified Arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Mr. Zamites represents insured and self-insured entities and individuals in cases involving motor vehicle negligence, premises liability, products liability, and dram shop /liquor liability. He has extensive experience handling cases across the entire southeastern and southern Pennsylvania area; including practice and procedure at the appellate level in both state and federal court. In addition, Mr. Zamites has successfully defended insurance companies in bad faith litigation; specifically as related to first-party property damage claims.
Mr. Zamites has extensive experience and expertise in the area of rental car liability, and has successfully extricated rental companies from cases involving primary vs. secondary or excess insurance coverage; and was instrumental in achieving the successful result in Smith v. Enterprise Leasing Company, in which the Pennsylvania Superior Court expressly held that self-insured rental car companies need not provide the otherwise mandatory minimum UM coverage, so long as a properly worded waiver is contained on the signed rental agreement. Mr. Zamites often counsels self-insured car rental companies with respect to the requirements of coverage under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law.
In recent years, Mr. Zamites has expanded his practice to include the defense of companies against allegations of consumer fraud and breach of warranty, including claims brought under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. His clients have included a regional motor vehicle dealership chain and a national electronics retailer.
Education:
Ursinus College, B.S., 1988
Widener University, M.Ed. 1992
Widener University, J.D. 1998 (Cum Laude)
Professional Memberships and Activities:
Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Member of the American, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia Bar Associations.
Speaking Engagements and Presentations:
Philadelphia Civil Practice in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area - A Primer for Claims Adjusters; ELCO Administrative Services, Wayne, NJ, November 2007.
Areas of Concentration
- Automobile and Trucking Litigation
- Bad Faith
- General Liability
- Insurance Coverage
- Product Liability