Adair v. State

836 N.W.2d 742, 301 Mich. App. 547
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 9, 2013
DocketDocket No. 230858
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 836 N.W.2d 742 (Adair v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Adair v. State, 836 N.W.2d 742, 301 Mich. App. 547 (Mich. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Per CURIAM.

In this declaratory judgment action, plaintiff, Auto-Owners Insurance Company, appeals as of right a circuit court opinion and order denying its motion for summary disposition and granting summary disposition in favor of defendant Joseph Derry. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

This case arose after Derry was injured while working on a lawn crew of defendant All Star Lawn Specialists Plus, Inc. (All Star). At the time of his injury, Derry was performing a “fall cleanup” at an apartment complex and was using a leaf vacuum machine to suck up leaves into a truck. He sustained injuries after the leaf vacuum machine tipped over, causing its boom to strike him. It is undisputed that at the time of the incident, the mechanism attaching the leaf vacuum machine to the truck was unlatched or unlocked, and that if the latch had been “locked down,” the machine would not have tipped over.

[521]*521Derry filed a personal injury action against All Star and Jeffrey Harrison, who coowned and operated All Star, claiming that Harrison negligently failed to lock the leaf vacuum machine to the truck, which caused the machine to tip over and strike him. Derry also filed an action against Auto-Owners, who insured All Star under a commercial automobile insurance policy, seeking no-fault insurance benefits for his injuries. Thereafter, Auto-Owners, who also insured All Star under commercial general liability and workers’ compensation insurance policies filed this cause of action to determine the parties’ right to insurance coverage under the various insurance policies, which was largely dependent on Derry’s status as an employee or independent contractor at the time of his accidental injury.

Auto-Owners subsequently moved for summary disposition under MCR 2.116(C)(10), arguing that, as a matter of law, Derry was an “employee” of All Star at the time of his injuries as defined under § 161(1) of the Worker’s Disability Compensation Act (WDCA), MCL 418.161(1), and thus, the Auto-Owners workers’ compensation insurance policy was the appropriate policy to provide coverage for Derry’s injuries. Derry argued that he was not an employee of All Star at the time of the injuries, but was an “independent contractor,” and, thus, the workers’ compensation policy did not apply to provide coverage for his injuries. Derry argued instead that the general liability insurance policy provides coverage for his negligence claim against All Star and the commercial automobile policy provides coverage for his claim for personal injury protection benefits under Michigan’s no-fault vehicle insurance act. The trial court, in denying Auto-Owners’ motion for summary disposition and granting summary disposition in favor of Derry, held that Derry was not an employee under the workers’ compensation act, MCL 418.161(1), or [522]*522within the meaning of any of the insurance contracts. The court then concluded that (1) Derry was not entitled to coverage under the workers’ compensation act, and thus, was not entitled to recover under Auto-Owners’ workers’ compensation insurance policy, (2) Auto-Owners’ general liability insurance policy provided coverage for Derry’s negligence claim against All Star and Harrison, and (3) Auto-Owners’ commercial automobile insurance policy provided coverage for Der-ry’s claim for no-fault benefits. This appeal by Auto-Owners ensued.

“This Court reviews a trial court’s summary disposition decision de novo.” Liparoto Constr, Inc v Gen Shale Brick, Inc, 284 Mich App 25, 29; 772 NW2d 801 (2009). “A motion under MCE 2.116(0(10) tests the factual sufficiency of a complaint.” Id. “The court must consider the affidavits, pleadings, depositions, admissions, and other documentary evidence submitted by the parties in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion.” Id. “The motion is properly granted if there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Id. at 29-30. The trial court may not make findings of fact or weigh credibility in deciding a motion for summary disposition. Skinner v Square D Co, 445 Mich 153, 161; 516 NW2d 475 (1994).

Further, the interpretation of a statute presents a question of law subject to review de novo by this Court. Reed v Yackell, 473 Mich 520, 528; 703 NW2d 1 (2005) (opinion by TAYLOR, C.J.), citing Hoste v Shanty Creek Mgt, Inc, 459 Mich 561, 569; 592 NW2d 360 (1999). Pertinent here, is whether an individual is an “employee” as statutorily defined in the workers’ compensation act, which presents a question of law. McCaul v Modern Tile & Carpet, Inc, 248 Mich App 610, 615; 640 [523]*523NW2d 589 (2001). This Court’s “fundamental obligation when interpreting statutes is ‘to ascertain the legislative intent that may reasonably be inferred from the words expressed in the statute.’ ” Reed, 473 Mich at 528 (opinion by TAYLOR, C.J.), quoting Koontz v Ameritech Servs, Inc, 466 Mich 304, 312; 645 NW2d 34 (2002). “If the statute is unambiguous, judicial construction is neither required nor permitted.” Reed, 473 Mich at 529 (opinion by TAYLOR, C.J.). The proper interpretation of a contract, such as the insurance contracts at issue here, also presents an issue of law subject to review de novo. Auto-Owners Ins Co v Harrington, 455 Mich 377, 381; 565 NW2d 839 (1997); Clark v DaimlerChrysler Corp, 268 Mich App 138, 141; 706 NW2d 471 (2005). In Auto-Owners Ins Co v Churchman, 440 Mich 560; 489 NW2d 431 (1992), the Michigan Supreme Court set forth the following guidelines in reviewing the language of an insurance policy:

An insurance policy is much the same as any other contract. It is an agreement between the parties in which a court will determine what the agreement was and effectuate the intent of the parties. Accordingly, the court must look at the contract as a whole and give meaning to all terms. Further, any clause in an insurance policy is valid as long as it is clear, unambiguous and not in contravention of public policy. This Court cannot create ambiguity where none exists.
Exclusionary clauses in insurance policies are strictly construed in favor of the insured. However, coverage under a policy is lost if any exclusion within the policy applies to an insured’s particular claims. Clear and specific exclusions must be given effect. It is impossible to hold an insurance company liable for a risk it did not assume. [Churchman, 440 Mich at 566-567 (quotation marks and citations omitted).]

Accordingly, the “ [interpretation of an insurance policy ultimately requires a two-step inquiry: first, a determi[524]*524nation of coverage according to the general insurance agreement and, second, a decision regarding whether an exclusion applies to negate coverage.” Harrington, 455 Mich at 382. We address the merits of the parties’ claims with these standards in mind.

I. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION POLICY

Auto-Owners first claims that the trial court erred by concluding that its workers’ compensation policy did not provide coverage for Derry’s injuries. The policy at issue provides insurance for accidental bodily injury when benefits are required under the workers’ compensation law.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
836 N.W.2d 742, 301 Mich. App. 547, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/adair-v-state-michctapp-2013.