Andrew L. Youngquist, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance Co.

625 N.W.2d 178, 2001 Minn. App. LEXIS 435, 2001 WL 410372
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedApril 24, 2001
DocketC8-00-1773
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 625 N.W.2d 178 (Andrew L. Youngquist, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Andrew L. Youngquist, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance Co., 625 N.W.2d 178, 2001 Minn. App. LEXIS 435, 2001 WL 410372 (Mich. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

BERTRAND PORITSKY, Judge *

Following the district court’s grant of summary judgment in its favor, appellant insured contends that the district court erred in limiting its recovery of damages and attorney fees to $8,866.58. Respondent insurance company filed a notice of review challenging the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the insured. Because the insurer breached its duty to defend and indemnify the insured, and the district court’s award of costs and attorney fees was proper, we affirm in part. Nonetheless, we remand for a factual finding as to whether the insured paid its insurance deductible before or after tendering its defense to the insurer.

FACTS

The parties do not dispute the material facts. Appellant Andrew L. Youngquist, Inc., d/b/a Birtcher Construction Services (Birtcher), contracted to build a movie theater in Coon Rapids. Birtcher entered into a subcontract with Comm-Tech Electrical Contractors, Inc. (Comm-Tech), to provide electrical work on the theater project. The subcontract required Comm-Tech to obtain primary commercial general-liability insurance covering Birtcher. Comm-Tech purchased an endorsement to its commercial general-liability insurance policy, naming Birtcher as an “Additional Insured”:

THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.
AUTOMATIC ADDITIONAL INSURED-CONTRACTOR
This endorsement modifies insurance provided under the following:
COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY COVERAGE PART
1. Section II — Who is an insured is amended to include:
2.e. The person or organization shown in the Schedule but only with respect to liability arising out of your ongoing operations performed for that insured, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS ADDITIONAL INSURED.
SCHEDULE
Any person or organization for whom you are required in a written contract * * * where there is a certificate of insurance showing that person or organization as an ADDITIONAL INSURED under this policy.

(Emphasis added.)

A provision in the subcontract stated that Comm-Tech would not indemnify Birtcher for such damages as were determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be due either to Birtcher’s sole negligence or willful misconduct:

[Comm-Tech] shall not be obligated under this agreement to indemnify [Birtcher] with respect to damages which are ultimately determined by a court of eom- *182 petent jurisdiction to be due to the sole negligence or willful misconduct of [Birtcher],

On November 16, 1997, an electrician employed by Comm-Tech was injured while working at the theater construction site. The electrician sued Birtcher and two other companies for his injuries. 1 On August 4, 1998, Birtcher tendered defense of the Klitzke injury claim to respondent Cincinnati Insurance Company (Cincinnati), from whom Comm-Tech had purchased its commercial general-liability insurance policy. Cincinnati rejected Birtcher’s tender.

Birtcher brought a declaratory action against Cincinnati to compel it to defend and indemnify Birtcher. The district court heard cross-motions for summary judgment. In its order, the district court granted summary judgment in favor of Birtcher, but reserved the issue of Birtcher’s request for attorney fees, costs and disbursements, and directed Birtcher to file supporting affidavits.

Birtcher’s attorney submitted affidavits to the district court outlining Birtcher’s damages, attorney fees, and costs, accompanied by corroborating billing statements. Birtcher requested a total of $49,452.93. 2 Cincinnati opposed reimbursement in this amount, arguing that Birtcher’s own insurer, Reliance Insurance Company (Reliance), paid virtually all of Birtcher’s costs and legal expenses. Birtcher countered by furnishing evidence that it had incurred a $5,000 out-of-pocket deductible and approximately $3,380 in unreimbursed fees and expenses. On August 15, 2000, the district court awarded Birtcher $8,866.58, reflecting Birtcher’s $5,000 deductible and $3,380.33 plus $250 in unpaid fees and expenses. 3

Birtcher contests the amount awarded by the district court, and Cincinnati challenges the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Birtcher on the issue of coverage.

ISSUES

1. Did the district court err in granting Birtcher summary judgment on the issue of coverage?

2. Did the district court improperly limit Birtcher’s recovery to its out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Birtcher in the underlying claim?

3. Did the district court abuse its discretion in determining the amount of attorney fees?

4. Is Birtcher entitled to attorney fees on appeal?

*183 5. Should Birtcher’s motion for appellate admission of evidence be granted?

ANALYSIS

On appeal from summary judgment, this court asks whether there are any genuine issues of material fact and whether the district court erred in its application of the law. O’Malley v. Ulland Bros., 549 N.W.2d 889, 892 (Minn.1996). In making this determination, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the party against which summary judgment was granted. Fabio v. Bellomo, 504 N.W.2d 758, 761 (Minn.1993).

1. Duty to Defend

“[T]he interpretation of insurance contract language is a question of law as applied to the facts presented.” Meister v. Western Nat’l Mut. Ins. Co., 479 N.W.2d 372, 376 (Minn.1992) (citation omitted); see Iowa Kemper Ins. Co. v. Stone, 269 N.W.2d 885, 887 (Minn.1978). “Insurance coverage issues are questions of law for the court.” State Farm Ins. Cos. v. Seefeld, 481 N.W.2d 62, 64 (Minn.1992) (citation omitted). Where there is no dispute as to the material facts, this court independently reviews the district court’s interpretation of the insurance contract de novo. Haarstad v. Graff, 517 N.W.2d 582, 584 (Minn.1994).

The language of the policy must be given its ordinary and usual meaning so as to give effect to the intention of the parties as it appears from the contract. Dairyland Ins. Co. v. Implement Dealers Ins. Co., 294 Minn. 236, 244-45, 199 N.W.2d 806, 811 (1972) (citations omitted); see Fillmore v. Iowa Natl. Mut. Ins. Co.,

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Bluebook (online)
625 N.W.2d 178, 2001 Minn. App. LEXIS 435, 2001 WL 410372, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/andrew-l-youngquist-inc-v-cincinnati-insurance-co-minnctapp-2001.