AIG Risk Management, Inc. v. Motel 6 Operating L.P.

960 S.W.2d 301, 1997 WL 762111
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 29, 1998
Docket13-97-268-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 960 S.W.2d 301 (AIG Risk Management, Inc. v. Motel 6 Operating L.P.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
AIG Risk Management, Inc. v. Motel 6 Operating L.P., 960 S.W.2d 301, 1997 WL 762111 (Tex. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION

FEDERICO G. HINOJOSA, Jr., Justice.

This is an appeal from the grant of a temporary injunction against appellants, AIG Risk Management, Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Birmingham Fire Insurance Company of Pennsylvania, and David Battard (collectively, “AIG”). By eight points of error, appellants challenge the validity of the injunction. Because we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting the temporary injunction, we affirm the trial court’s order.

I. BACKGROUND

In 1986,1994, and 1995, AIG, an insurance company, proposed insurance programs for the Motel 6 chain designed to satisfy the company’s desire to self-insure. Unlike traditional “guaranteed cost” policies where a policyholder pays fixed premiums, premiums for self-insurance programs are based on actuarial projections of the company’s anticipated losses during the policy period. In addition to an “Indemnity Agreement,” Motel 6, the policyholder, paid certain expenses up front and provided AIG, the insurer, with a promissory note or “promise to pay addendum” in an amount equal to the actuarially projected losses. As anticipated losses realized exceeded program deductibles, reimbursement to AIG was to be paid out of a fund established by Motel 6, collateralized by a letter of credit. Premiums, the promissory note, and the letter of credit were to be periodically adjusted based upon actual loss development.

The three programs had certain elements in common. For each policy year, 1986, 1994, and 1995, actuarial projections were prepared and letters of credit issued to collateralize the forecast losses. Extended negotiations over the terms of the agreements never resulted in final, executed agreements although some terms were apparently achieved.

In 1986, AIG submitted invoices to Motel 6 for losses and expenses, a number of which Motel 6 disputed and refused to pay. Motel 6 changed insurers in 1987.

In 1994, AIG proposed a new insurance program to Motel 6, which Motel 6 accepted. AIG served Motel 6’s insurance needs from mid-1994 until mid-1996. At some point, negotiations began concerning the amount AIG claimed Motel 6 owed for billings connected with the 1986 program. Motel 6 insisted it only owed $84,000, while AIG contended Motel 6 owed more than $800,000. Talks continued through the middle of 1996, with little apparent progress. When Motel 6 informed AIG that it had decided to take its insurance business elsewhere, AIG drew over $1 million on the 1994 letter of credit to pay the 1986 debt. Part of the money was later returned, but AIG retained more than $800,-000.

Motel 6 then filed suit against AIG. Motél 6 alleged that AIG had committed fraud, constructive fraud, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, conversion, tortious interference with a business relationship, and business disparagement. Motel 6 also sought a temporary injunction to prevent AIG from drawing on any letters of credit for any of the three programs. On April 25, 1997, the trial court granted a temporary injunction which states, in relevant part, as follows:

It is, therefore, ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Corporate Defendants ... are hereby enjoined until judgment in this case is entered by this Comí; from drawing upon:
(1) any letter of credit issued for the account of Motel 6 to secure its obligations under the 1994 or 1995 insurance programs for any debt or obligation which is due or allegedly due under the 1986 insurance program;
*305 (2) any letter of credit issued for the account of Motel 6 to secure its obligations under the 1986 or 1994 insurance programs for any debt or obligation which is due or allegedly due under the 1995 insurance program; and
(3) any letter of credit issued for the account of Motel 6 to secure its obligations under the 1986 or 1995 insurance programs for any debt or obligation which is due or allegedly due under the 1994 insurance program.
It is, further ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the Corporate Defendants ... are hereby enjoined from drawing upon any letter of credit issued for the account of Motel 6 without first giving Motel 6, through their counsel of record in this case, sixty (60) days advance, written notice of their intention to take such action, which notice must contain full and complete backup documentation demonstrating how the amounts due or allegedly due were determined.

AIG appeals from the grant of this temporary injunction.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

The appeal of an order granting a temporary injunction is an appeal from an interlocutory order; therefore, the merits of the moving party’s case are not presented for appellate review. Davis v. Huey, 571 S.W.2d 859, 861 (Tex.1978); Philipp Bros., Inc. v. Oil Country Specialists, Ltd., 709 S.W.2d 262, 265 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1986, writ dism’d). At a hearing on an application for a temporary injunction, the only issue before the trial court is whether the applicant is entitled to preservation of the status quo of the subject matter of the suit pending a trial on the merits. Davis, 571 S.W.2d at 862; Philipp Bros., 709 S.W.2d at 265.

The scope of our review is limited to determining whether the trial judge committed a clear abuse of discretion. Davis, 571 S.W.2d at 861-62;Simon Property Group (Texas) L.P. v. May Dept. Stores Co., 943 S.W.2d 64, 66 (Tex.App.-Corpus Christi 1997, n.w.h.). We consider (1) whether the trial court could reasonably have reached only one decision, and (2) whether the trial court’s decision was so arbitrary and unreasonable as to amount to a clear and prejudicial error of law. See Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 840 (Tex.1992); Johnson v. Fourth Court of Appeals, 700 S.W.2d 916, 917-18 (Tex.1985). Only the propriety of the trial court’s grant of injunctive relief is addressed, not the merits of the suit. Simon Prop. Group, 943 S.W.2d at 74. Abuse of discretion does not exist if the trial court heard conflicting evidence, and substantive, probative evidence appears in the record that reasonably supports the trial court’s decision. Davis, 571 S.W.2d at 862; CRC-Evans Pipeline Int'l Inc. v. Myers, 927 S.W.2d 259, 262 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1996, no writ); Recon Exploration, Inc. v. Hodges, 798 S.W.2d 848, 852 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1990, no writ).

III. Injunctions and Letters of Credit

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960 S.W.2d 301, 1997 WL 762111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aig-risk-management-inc-v-motel-6-operating-lp-texapp-1998.