Legal Proceedings

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

Legal Proceedings [Abstract]

Legal Proceedings

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

We establish accruals for legal proceedings, including litigation and regulatory and governmental investigations and inquiries, when information related to the loss contingencies represented by those matters indicates both that a loss is probable and that the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. Any such accruals are adjusted thereafter as appropriate to reflect changed circumstances. When we are able to do so, we also determine estimates of possible losses or ranges of possible losses, whether in excess of any related accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability, for disclosed legal proceedings (“Disclosed Matters,” which are those matters disclosed in this Note 13 as well as those matters disclosed in Note 21 Legal Proceedings in Part II, Item 8 of our 2020 Form 10-K and in Note 13 Legal Proceedings in Part I, Item 1 of our first quarter 2021 Form 10-Q (such prior disclosure referred to as “Prior Disclosure”)). For Disclosed Matters where we are able to estimate such possible losses or ranges of possible losses, as of June 30, 2021, we estimate that it is reasonably possible that we could incur losses in excess of related accrued liabilities, if any, in an aggregate amount less than $100 million. The estimates included in this amount are based on our analysis of currently available information and are subject to significant judgment and a variety of assumptions and uncertainties. As new information is obtained we may change our estimates. Due to the inherent subjectivity of the assessments and unpredictability of outcomes of legal proceedings, any amounts accrued or included in this aggregate amount may not represent the ultimate loss to us from the legal proceedings in question. Thus, our exposure and ultimate losses may be higher, and possibly significantly so, than the amounts accrued or this aggregate amount.

As a result of the types of factors described in Note 21 Legal Proceedings in Part II, Item 8 of our 2020 Form 10-K, we are unable, at this time, to estimate the losses that are reasonably possible to be incurred or ranges of such losses with respect to some of the matters disclosed, and the aggregate estimated amount provided above does not include an estimate for every Disclosed Matter. Therefore, as the estimated aggregate amount disclosed above does not include all of the Disclosed Matters, the amount disclosed above does not represent our maximum reasonably possible loss exposure for all of the Disclosed Matters. The estimated aggregate amount also does not reflect any of our exposure to matters not so disclosed, as discussed below under “Other.”

We include in some of the descriptions of individual Disclosed Matters certain quantitative information related to the plaintiff’s claim against us as alleged in the plaintiff’s pleadings or other public filings or otherwise publicly available information. While information of this type may provide insight into the potential magnitude of a matter, it does not necessarily represent our estimate of reasonably possible loss or our judgment as to any currently appropriate accrual.

Some of our exposure in Disclosed Matters may be offset by applicable insurance coverage. We do not consider the possible availability of insurance coverage in determining the amounts of any accruals (although we record the amount of related insurance recoveries that are deemed probable up to the amount of the accrual) or in determining any estimates of possible losses or ranges of possible losses.

USAA Patent Infringement Litigation

In June 2021, in United Services Automobile Association v. PNC Bank N.A. (Case No. 2:20-cv-319), pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (“the Texas case”), USAA filed an answer to PNC Bank’s counterclaims and asserted a counterclaim in reply seeking a declaratory judgment that two of the asserted PNC Bank patents are unenforceable due to inequitable conduct and unclean hands prosecution of the patents.

In June 2021, in PNC Bank, N.A. v. United Services Automobile Association (Case No. 2:20-cv-1886), pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the court stayed this case pending a decision on the motion to transfer filed by PNC Bank in the Texas case.

In July 2021, USAA filed a third lawsuit (United Services Automobile Association v. PNC Bank N.A. (Case No. 2:21-cv-246)) in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against PNC Bank for patent infringement. The complaint alleges that PNC’s mobile remote deposit capture systems, including its new versions, infringe three patents owned by the plaintiff. The plaintiff seeks, among other things, a judgment that PNC is infringing each of the patents, damages for willful infringement, and attorneys’ fees.

Other Regulatory and Governmental Inquiries

We are the subject of investigations, audits, examinations and other forms of regulatory and governmental inquiry covering a broad range of issues in our consumer, mortgage, brokerage, securities and other financial services businesses, as well as other aspects of our operations. In some cases, these inquiries are part of reviews of specified activities at multiple industry participants; in others, they are directed at PNC individually. From time to time, these inquiries have involved and may in the future involve or lead to regulatory enforcement actions and other administrative proceedings. These inquiries have also led to and may in the future lead to civil or criminal judicial proceedings. Some of these inquiries result in remedies including fines, penalties, restitution, or alterations in our business practices, and in additional expenses and collateral costs and other consequences. Such remedies and other consequences typically have not been material to us from a financial standpoint, but could be in the future. Even if not financially material, they may result in significant reputational harm or other adverse consequences.

Our practice is to cooperate fully with regulatory and governmental investigations, audits and other inquiries, including those described in Prior Disclosure.

Other

In addition to the proceedings or other matters described in Prior Disclosure, PNC and persons to whom we may have indemnification obligations, in the normal course of business, are subject to various other pending and threatened legal proceedings in which claims for monetary damages and other relief are asserted. We do not anticipate, at the present time, that the ultimate aggregate liability, if any, arising out of such other legal proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial position. However, we cannot now determine whether or not any claims asserted against us or others to whom we may have indemnification obligations, whether in the proceedings or other matters described above or otherwise, will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in any future reporting period, which will depend on, among other things, the amount of the loss resulting from the claim and the amount of income otherwise reported for the reporting period.