Bennison v. Nationwide Mutual Ins.

42 Pa. D. & C.4th 466, 1999 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Pike County
DecidedJune 14, 1999
Docketno. 1067-1998
StatusPublished

This text of 42 Pa. D. & C.4th 466 (Bennison v. Nationwide Mutual Ins.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Pike County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bennison v. Nationwide Mutual Ins., 42 Pa. D. & C.4th 466, 1999 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1999).

Opinion

THOMSON, P.J.,

This opinion addresses the motion for judgment on the pleadings by the defendant. The case revolves around an auto insurance contract, specifically, an uninsured motorist clause. Under the terms of the contract, plaintiffs are entitled to no compensation; however, they seek to have the uninsured motorist clause voided because it is invalid under Pennsylvania law, allowing them to obtain compensation. Defendant bases its motion on an attempt to enforce the terms of the contract as provided by the law under which it was written, New York. Having the benefit of an argument and the briefs by the parties, the court issues this [468]*468opinion in support of its order denying defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings.

FACTS

On November 5,1995, plaintiff Deborah Bennison was a passenger in a vehicle owned by Bruce Graves of Marlboro, New York. While on a Pennsylvania roadway, Graves’ car collided with a third party’s car (also referred to herein as the tort-feasor). In an effort to obtain compensation for the damages suffered, plaintiffs have sought contribution from the uninsured motorist coverage for which they contracted with defendant. At the time of the contract at issue, the plaintiffs were domiciled in New York. The defendant issued plaintiffs’ insurance policy out of New York. The plaintiffs registered their car in New York. In addition, the declaration sheet attached to the contract provided a New York address. By all appearances, the insurance policy appears to be in accordance with New York law.

The contract provides in relevant part that the company will provide the plaintiffs with uninsured motorist coverage if the tort-feasor’s vehicle is uninsured. The contract defines an uninsured motor vehicle as a “motor vehicle that, through its ownership, maintenance or use, results in bodily injury to an insured, and for which .. . [tjhere is bodily injury liability insurance coverage . . . at the time of the accident, but (i) the amount of such insurance coverage ... is less than the third party bodily injury liability limit of this policy....” See defendant’s answer, exhibit A.

The defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings arises from three basic admissions in the plaintiffs’ reply. The first admission is that the negligent party’s [469]*469vehicle was insured by State Farm Insurance Company with liability limits of $100,000 per accident, $300,000 per occurrence. (See plaintiffs’ reply, paragraph 22.) In addition, plaintiffs have admitted that their own liability limits under the Nationwide policy are $100,000 per accident, $300,000 per occurrence. (See plaintiffs’ reply, paragraph 21.) Plaintiff’s also have admitted that they have cumulatively received $105,000 from the State Farm Insurance Company for the injuries sustained. (See plaintiffs reply, paragraph 25.) Defendant argues these admissions, when considered with terms of the contract, require that plaintiffs cannot receive uninsured motorist benefits because their bodily injury liability limit is the same as or greater than the limits available to the negligent party. Furthermore, defendant argues that New York law applies because the parties lived in New York when they entered into the contract, and they listed a New York State address on the declaration sheet incident to the contract.

DISCUSSION

Although plaintiffs raised many issues against defendant’s motion, the case appears to center on the legal issue of whether Pennsylvania or New York law applies to this contract. If New York law applies, the contract remains in effect denying the plaintiffs further coverage, however, if Pennsylvania law applies to certain terms of the contract, the subject provision of the contract would be invalidated. In contradiction to the facts noted above that indicate New York law would apply, plaintiffs cite two basic arguments supporting the position that Pennsylvania law should apply. Plaintiffs’ first argument is that defendant is estopped from arguing that [470]*470New York law applies because of an admission in a previous pleading. Second, plaintiffs argue that Pennsylvania law should apply because choice of law principles require it, arguing Pennsylvania has more significant contacts with the parties and a greater interest as well. We will address each of these arguments in order and also address plaintiffs’ other various arguments.

Before addressing those arguments, we note the various standards applicable to motions for judgments on the pleadings. A judgment on the pleadings may be entered where there are no disputed issues of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Pa.R.C.P. 1034. A motion for judgment on the pleadings is similar to a demurrer in that a court must confine its consideration to the pleadings and relevant documents. E.g., Sejpal v. Corson, Mitchell, Tomhave & McKinley M.D.s Inc., 445 Pa. Super. 427, 665 A.2d 1198 (1995). A court cannot grant a motion for judgment on the pleadings unless there are no material facts at issue and the law is clear that trial would be a fruitless exercise. Welsh v. City of Philadelphia, 156 Pa. Commw. 299, 627 A.2d 248 (1993). With these standards in mind, we move on to address each of the arguments against defendant’s motion.

H — I

Plaintiffs’ first argument against a judgment on the pleadings is that defendant has admitted in a previous case that Pennsylvania law applies and is bound by that admission for the purpose of this case. Because Pennsylvania law applies, the uninsured motorist provisions of the contract should be invalidated, and, accordingly, the court should not grant judgment to defendant under [471]*471the terms of the subject contract. In an earlier action, involving this accident between these parties, the plaintiffs in their complaint averred:

“(4) That the policy of insurance issued by the defendant to the plaintiffs was to provide medical coverage to the plaintiff in the event that the plaintiff suffered injury as a result of an auto accident.”

The defendant in its answer, responded as follows:

“(4) It is admitted only that the plaintiff had a policy of auto insurance policy [sic] issued by defendant which provided for certain first party benefits based upon the terms and provisions of the insurance contract, the Pennsylvania MVFRL and the applicable statutes and regulations of the Commonwealth of PA.”

Defendant not only made this averment in its answer but also made the averment in its new matter, alleging Deborah Benni son’s original cause of action was barred, reduced and/or limited by Pennsylvania law. Because defendant relied on Pennsylvania law previously, plaintiffs claim that the previous averments estop defendant from arguing that New York law governs the plaintiffs’ current claim. In support of this position, plaintiffs cite Gross v. City of Pittsburgh, 686 A.2d 864 (Pa. Commw. 1996). “[T]he purpose of. . . judicial estoppel is to uphold the integrity of the courts by preventing parties from abusing the judicial process by changing positions as the moment requires.” Id. at 867.

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

Related

Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Fantozzi Ex Rel. Fantozzi
825 F. Supp. 80 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1993)
Allwein v. Donegal Mutual Insurance
671 A.2d 744 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
McAllister v. Millville Mutual Insurance
640 A.2d 1283 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Graves v. Republic Insurance
516 F. Supp. 424 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1981)
Bamber v. Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co.
680 A.2d 901 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Associated Hospital Service v. Pustilnik
439 A.2d 1149 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1981)
Sejpal v. Corson, Mitchell, Tomhave & McKinley, M.D.'s., Inc.
665 A.2d 1198 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1995)
Associates Discount Corp. v. Kelly
82 A.2d 689 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1951)
Home Insurance v. McGovern
837 F. Supp. 661 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1993)
Smith v. Firemens Ins. Co. of Newark
590 A.2d 24 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
Assicurazioni Generali, S.P.A. v. Clover
18 F. Supp. 2d 550 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1998)
Giesey v. Cogan
179 A. 865 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1935)
Gross v. City of Pittsburgh
686 A.2d 864 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1996)
Country-Wide Insurance v. Rodriguez
80 A.D.2d 130 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1981)
Allcity Insurance v. Williams
120 A.D.2d 1 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1986)
Berman v. Hertz Corp.
127 A.D.2d 809 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1987)
Smith v. Nationwide Mutual Insurance
145 Misc. 2d 318 (New York Supreme Court, 1989)
Welsh v. City of Philadelphia
627 A.2d 248 (Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, 1993)
Jamison v. Miracle Mile Rambler, Inc.
536 F.2d 560 (Third Circuit, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
42 Pa. D. & C.4th 466, 1999 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bennison-v-nationwide-mutual-ins-pactcomplpike-1999.