Barlett v. CNA

104 P.3d 1011, 33 Kan. App. 2d 519, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 74
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJanuary 28, 2005
Docket91,634
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 104 P.3d 1011 (Barlett v. CNA) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barlett v. CNA, 104 P.3d 1011, 33 Kan. App. 2d 519, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 74 (kanctapp 2005).

Opinions

Johnson, J.:

Transportation Insurance Company (Transportation) appeals the summary judgment granted to Thomas Barlett in his action to recover underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage under his automobile policy with Transportation. Finding that judgment in the full amount of Transportation’s UIM limits was erroneous, we reverse and remand.

Barlett was the sole proprietor of a business, operating under the name of Majic Pools. On January 1, 1997, Barlett drove his motorcycle to a service call for a Majic Pools customer; enroute, [521]*521an automobile driven by Amanpreet Singh collided with the motorcycle. Barlett sustained substantial injuries.

Singh had bodily injury liability insurance coverage with a per person limit of $25,000. Barlett had three insurance policies that contained UIM coverage. The motorcycle Barlett was operating was insured with Progressive Casualty Insurance Company which provided a $25,000 limit. Barlett owned a 1992 Chrysler which was insured with an American Family Insurance policy providing a $100,000 UIM limit. Two other vehicles were covered by a business auto coverage form issued to Majic Pools, which provided UIM limits of $300,000. The business auto policy has “CNA” in the heading but recites that coverage is provided by Transportation. Because CNA was dismissed from this lawsuit, we will refer to the business auto insurer as Transportation.

Barlett reported the accident to Transportation the following day, January 2,1997. Barlett filed suit against Singh and, in January 1999, notified Transportation of its lawsuit. Later, Barlett specifically notified Transportation of the possibility of a UIM claim on the business auto policy and even invited Transportation to participate in a settlement conference. Transportation denied coverage and declined to participate in the action between Barlett and Singh. Eventually, pursuant to a settlement between Barlett and Singh, the district court entered a journal entry of judgment in which the court found that Singh was the sole cause of the accident and that Barlett had sustained damages in the amount of $945,300.72.

Barlett then sued CNA to collect the full $300,000 of UIM coverage on the business auto policy. Subsequently, Transportation was added as a defendant and CNA was dismissed from the lawsuit. Both parties filed motions for summary judgment. Ultimately, the district court granted summary judgment to Barlett against Transportation for $300,000. On appeal, Transportation claims that the district court was wrong to hold the UIM carrier bound by the consent judgment previously entered in the action between tire insured and the tortfeasor. Further, Transportation contends that the district court erroneously precluded Transportation s enforcement of applicable policy provisions based upon its failure to intervene in the underlying negligence lawsuit. Transportation ar[522]*522gues that its insurance policy provisions requiring an insured to notify the insurer of an accident, the provisions defining underinsured coverage, and the provisions relating to other insurance coverage would have reduced or eliminated the amount Transportation was required to pay Barlett.

To the extent Transportation challenges tire appropriateness of summary judgment, we determine whether there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and whether Barlett is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Bracken v. Dixon Industries, Inc., 272 Kan. 1272, 1274-75, 38 P.3d 679 (2002). To the extent we must construe the insurance contract and construe statutory provisions, our review is unlimited. See Loucks v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 33 Kan. App. 2d 288, 101 P.3d 1271 (2004).

UNDEBLYING JUDGMENT

Transportation first argues that Barlett should have to prove the reasonableness of the underlying settlement with Singh in order to prevail on his UIM claim. The overarching theme of Transportation’s arguments is that, because the settlement terms relieved Singh of any personal responsibility for the judgment, he had no incentive to oppose the amount of damages proffered by Barlett. Therefore, Transportation believes it should have an opportunity to challenge whether Barlett actually sustained $945,300.72 in damages. Transportation does not explain why it is concerned with any damages above its $300,000 UIM limit.

In its brief, Transportation acknowledges that K.S.A. 40-284 provides a means for UIM carriers to protect against collusive settlements. K.S.A. 40-284(f) provides:

“An underinsured motorist coverage insurer sliall have subrogation rights under the provisions of K.S.A. 40-287 and amendments thereto. If a tentative agreement to settle for liability limits has been reached with an underinsured tortfeasor, written notice must be given by certified mail to the underinsured motorist coverage insurer by its insured. Such written notice shall include written documentation of pecuniary losses incurred, including copies of all medical bills and written authorization or a court order to obtain reports from all employers and medical provide) s. Within 60 days of receipt of this written notice, the underinsured motorist coverage insurer may substitute its payment to the insured for the tentative settlement amount. The underinsured motorist coverage insurer is then subro[523]*523gated to the insured’s right of recovery to tire extent of such payment and any settlement under the underinsured motorist coverage. If the underinsured motorist coverage insurer fails to pay the insured tire amount of the tentative tort settlement within 60 days, the underinsured motorist coverage insurer has no right of subrogation for any amount paid under the underinsured motorist coverage.”

Barlett gave Transportation more than adequate notice of the proposed settlement with Singh. An April 24, 2001, transmittal by certified mail contained a copy of the formal settlement offer and a court order authorizing the release of Barlett’s medical and employment records. On November 6, 2001, Barlett offered to settle for the UIM limits unless defendants substituted payment, allowing the insurer 60 days to advise as to its intentions. The settlement judgment was entered March 7, 2002. Transportation apparently opted to simply ignore the correspondence, thereby forfeiting its subrogation rights under K.S.A. 40-287. That provision allows a UIM provider to have a cause of action “against any other person or organization legally responsible for the bodily injury or deatii” of its insured. In this instance, Transportation would have been subrogated to the action against Singh.

Transportation also acknowledges that our Supreme Court has held that a UIM' insurer which has been notified of its insured’s action against the tortfeasor and thereafter elects not to intervene is bound by a judgment “based on a proper settlement agreement between the parties to the action and approved by the court.” Guillan v. Watts, 249 Kan.

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Related

Ternes v. Galichia
305 P.3d 617 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2013)
Barlett v. CNA
104 P.3d 1011 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
104 P.3d 1011, 33 Kan. App. 2d 519, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 74, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barlett-v-cna-kanctapp-2005.