Atl. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Ca'D'Oro, LLC

362 F. Supp. 3d 1268
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedDecember 18, 2018
DocketCASE NO. 18-21645-CIV-ALTONAGA/Goodman
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 362 F. Supp. 3d 1268 (Atl. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Ca'D'Oro, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Atl. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Ca'D'Oro, LLC, 362 F. Supp. 3d 1268 (S.D. Fla. 2018).

Opinion

CECILIA M. ALTONAGA, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

*1271THIS CAUSE came before the Court on Plaintiff, Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company's Renewed Motion for Summary Final Judgment ("Plaintiff's Motion") [ECF No. 47], filed September 17, 2018; and Defendant, Ca'D'Oro, LLC's Cross Motion for Partial Summary Judgment ("Defendant's Motion") [ECF No. 50], filed October 12, 2018. Defendant also filed a Response to Plaintiff's Motion concurrently with Defendant's Motion (see id. ), as well as a Reply ("Defendant's Reply") [ECF No. 59]. On October 24, 2018, Plaintiff filed a Response to [Defendant's Motion] and a Reply in Support of [Plaintiff's Motion] ("Plaintiff's Response") [ECF No. 57]. Both Plaintiff and Defendant have also included statements of material facts within their respective motions.1 The Court has considered the parties' submissions, the record, and applicable law.

I. BACKGROUND

This is a coverage dispute between Plaintiff, an insurance company, and Defendant, its insured. On May 17, 2018, Clyde Salmon filed an amended complaint against Defendant and Alan Tibaldeo2 in state court, seeking damages for injuries stemming from an automobile accident that occurred on May 29, 2015. (See Pl.'s Mot. 2; State Court Complaint [ECF No. 47-1] ). Salmon was injured when a car operated by Tibaldeo backed into him in the loading zone of the Jade Condominium in Sunny Isles, Florida. (See Pl.'s Mot. 2). The State Court Complaint alleges one claim for relief3 against Defendant, and includes the allegation that Tibaldeo injured Salmon while "operating [a] vehicle in the course and scope of his employment with [Defendant] and/or as an agent of [Defendant]." (State Court Compl. ¶ 8 (alteration added); see also id. ¶ 12).

Plaintiff insures Defendant through a commercial general liability policy (the "Policy"). (See Pl.'s Mot. 3). The Policy affords coverage for bodily injury caused by accidents, subject to certain exclusions. (See id. ). One such exclusion is the "auto exclusion," which states the Policy does not apply to " '[b]odily injury' or 'property damage' arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use or entrustment to others of any aircraft, 'auto' or watercraft owned or operated by or rented or loaned to any insured." (Id. (alteration added) ). The Policy contains a number of definitions for an "insured," but the only relevant definition provided by the parties includes:

"... your "employees", other than either your "executive officers" (if you are an organization other than a partnership, joint venture or limited liability *1272company) or your managers (if you are a limited liability company) but only for acts within the scope of their employment by you or while performing duties related to the conduct of your business.

Id. The Policy defines an "employee" as including "leased worker" but not a "temporary worker." (Def.'s Mot. 4).

Count I of the Complaint seeks a declaratory judgment that Plaintiff has no duty to defend or indemnify Defendant with respect to any damages alleged in the state court case. (See Compl. 6). Count II is directed to Tibaldeo. (See id. ¶¶ 30-36).

II. LEGAL STANDARD

Summary judgment is rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a), (c). An issue of fact is "material" if it might affect the outcome of the case under the governing law. See Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). It is "genuine" if the evidence could lead a reasonable jury to find for the non-moving party. See id. ; see also Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp. , 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986).

At summary judgment, the moving party has the burden of proving the absence of a genuine issue of material fact, and all factual inferences are drawn in favor of the non-moving party. See Allen v. Tyson Foods Inc. , 121 F.3d 642, 646 (11th Cir. 1997). Courts must consider the entire record and not just the evidence singled out by the parties. See Clinkscales v. Chevron U.S.A., Inc. , 831 F.2d 1565, 1570 (11th Cir. 1987). The non-moving party's presentation of a "mere existence of a scintilla of evidence" in support of its position is insufficient to overcome summary judgment. Anderson , 477 U.S. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

If there are any factual issues, summary judgment must be denied and the case proceeds to trial. See Whelan v. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. , No. 1:12-CV-22481, 2013 WL 5583970, at *2 (S.D. Fla. Aug. 14, 2013) (citing Envtl. Def. Fund v. Marsh , 651 F.2d 983, 991 (5th Cir. 1981) ). Even when the parties "agree on the basic facts, but disagree about the inferences that should be drawn from these facts[,]" summary judgment "may be inappropriate." Id. (alteration added; citation omitted). "If reasonable minds might differ on the inferences arising from undisputed facts, then ...

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
362 F. Supp. 3d 1268, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/atl-cas-ins-co-v-cadoro-llc-flsd-2018.