Brewington v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance

96 F. Supp. 3d 1105, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41995, 2015 WL 1470729
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedMarch 31, 2015
DocketNo. 3:13-CV-0400-LRH-VPC
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 96 F. Supp. 3d 1105 (Brewington v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brewington v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, 96 F. Supp. 3d 1105, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41995, 2015 WL 1470729 (D. Nev. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

LARRY R. HICKS, District Judge.

Before the court is defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company’s (“State Farm”) second motion for partial summary judgment. Doc. # 38.1 Plaintiff Catherine Brewington (“Brewing-ton”) filed an opposition to the motion (Doc. #44), to which State Farm replied (Doc. # 48).

I. Facts and Background

This is a breach of contract action between Brewington and State Farm for uninsured motorist (“UM”) coverage arising from a motorcycle accident that resulted in the death of Brewington’s husband, Purdy Brewington (“Purdy”).

On August 29, 2012, Purdy and Brew-ington were riding separate motorcycles along State Highway 49 in Sierra County, California. At the same time, non-party Jerry Godbey (“Godbey”) was riding his motorcycle along State Highway 49 in the opposite direction. Godbey, coming around a corner, crossed the center lane and collided with Purdy ejecting both riders from their motorcycles. Brewington, who was riding a little behind Purdy, witnessed the collision and called an ambulance. On the way to the hospital, Purdy died with Brewington at his side. As a result of the accident, Brewington became emotionally distraught and was prescribed various medications and treatment.

At the time of the accident, both Purdy and Brewington were insured under an automobile and motorcycle policy issued by State Farm. After the accident, Brew-ington submitted a wrongful death claim to State Farm on behalf of Purdy. State Farm extended coverage for Purdy’s death in the maximum “each person” amount of $250,000. Brewington also submitted a separate UM claim seeking an additional $250,000 in coverage for her own emotional distress' from witnessing the accident. State Farm denied Brewington’s separate emotional distress claim.

Subsequently, Brewington filed the underlying complaint against State Farm alleging three causes of action: (1) breach of contract; (2) breach of the implied covenants of good faith and fair dealing; and (3) violation of the Nevada Trade Practices Act, NRS 686A.310. Doc. #1. In response, the parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment on Brewington’s breach of contract claim. Doc. ## 14, 17. State Farm then filed the present motion for partial summary judgment on Brew-ington’s second and third causes of action. Doc. #38. On September 16, 2014, the court denied State Farm’s motion for summary judgment (Doc. # 14) and granted Brewington’s cross-motion for summary judgment on the breach of contract claim (Doc. #17). Doc. #43.

II. Legal Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate only when the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show “that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the [moving party] is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). In assessing a motion for summary judgment, the evidence, together with all inferences that can reasonably be drawn therefrom, must be read in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. [1108]*1108574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986); Cnty. of Tuolumne v. Sonora Cmty. Hosp., 236 F.3d 1148, 1154 (9th Cir.2001).

The moving party bears the burden of informing the court of the basis for its motion, along with evidence showing the absence of any genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). On those issues for which it bears the burden of proof, the moving party must make a showing that is “sufficient for the court to hold that no reasonable trier of fact could find other than for the moving party.” Calderone v. United States, 799 F.2d 254, 259 (6th Cir.1986); see also Idema v. Dreamworks, Inc., 162 F.Supp.2d 1129, 1141 (C.D.Cal.2001).

To successfully rebut a motion for summary judgment, the non-moving party must point to facts supported by the record which demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact. Reese v. Jefferson Sch. Dist. No. 14J, 208 F.3d 736 (9th Cir.2000). A “material fact” is a fact “that might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Where reasonable minds could differ on the material facts at issue, summary judgment is not appropriate. See v. Durang, 711 F.2d 141, 143 (9th Cir.1983). A dispute regarding a material fact is considered genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. The mere existence of a scintilla of evidence in support of the plaintiffs position will be insufficient to establish a genuine dispute; there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for the plaintiff. See id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

III. Discussion

A. Breach of Implied Covenants of Good Faith and Fair Dealing

In her complaint, Brewington alleges that State Farm had no reasonable basis to deny coverage for her separately filed negligent infliction of emotional distress (“NIED”) claim. See Doc. #1. To establish a prima facie case of bad faith refusal to pay an insurance claim, a plaintiff must show that the insurer had no reasonable basis for disputing coverage, and that the insurer knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that there was no reasonable basis for disputing coverage. Powers v. United Serv. Auto. Ass’n, 114 Nev. 690, 962 P.2d 596, 604 (1998).

In its motion, State Farm argues that there can be no actionable bad faith claim arising from its decision to decline coverage for Brewington’s NIED claim because there was a reasonable basis to deny coverage. The court agrees. At the time State Farm declined coverage, the issue of whether a NIED claim was- covered under the “bodily injury” provision of Brewing-ton’s State Farm motorcycle insurance policy had not been decided by a Nevada court. Thus, it was an issue of first impression for this court. In analyzing that claim, the court noted that there was competing case law from several jurisdictions supporting both parties’ interpretations of the policy. See, e.g., State Farm, Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Connolly, 212 Ariz. 417, 132 P.3d 1197 (2006) (holding that defendant’s NIED claim constituted “bodily injury” under a similar State Farm insurance policy); Farm Bureau Ins. Co. v.

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96 F. Supp. 3d 1105, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 41995, 2015 WL 1470729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brewington-v-state-farm-mutual-automobile-insurance-nvd-2015.