Carlson v. Safeco Ins. Co.

499 So. 2d 664
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 10, 1986
Docket86-37
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 499 So. 2d 664 (Carlson v. Safeco Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carlson v. Safeco Ins. Co., 499 So. 2d 664 (La. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

499 So.2d 664 (1986)

Gerald P. CARLSON & Beth Carlson, Plaintiffs-Appellees,
v.
SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 86-37.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

December 10, 1986.
Rehearing Denied January 15, 1987.
Writ Denied March 20, 1987.

Franklin, Moore & Walsh, Carolyn Pratt, Baton Rouge, Larry Boudreaux, Thibodaux, for defendant-appellant.

*665 Cooper, Ortego & Woodruff, Calvin E. Woodruff, Abbeville, Juneau, Hill, Judice, Marquet, Hill & Adley, Patrick A. Juneau, Lafayette, for plaintiffs-appellees.

Before DOMENGEAUX, FORET and STOKER, JJ.

STOKER, Judge.

The plaintiffs, Gerald and Beth Carlson, filed suit against Safeco Insurance Company, their uninsured motorist carrier. Their demand was for policy limits of $100,000 plus penalties and attorney's fees pursuant to LSA-R.S. 22:658. The trial court granted a summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs finding uninsured motorist coverage of $100,000 for Dr. Carlson's damages. Subsequent cross-motions for summary judgment were filed by the parties on the issues of penalties and attorney's fees. The trial court granted judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, awarding them penalties in the amount of $12,000 and attorney's fees in the amount of $15,000. The defendant has appealed the judgments of the trial court. The plaintiffs have also appealed seeking an increase in the attorney's fees awarded to cover the handling of this appeal.

The issues presented by the defendant in this appeal are: (1) whether the trial court erred in finding uninsured motorist coverage to be $100,000; and (2) whether the trial court erred in finding Safeco's actions to be arbitrary and capricious, thereby entitling the plaintiffs to an award of penalties and attorney's fees.

We amend and affirm as amended the judgment of the trial court.

FACTS

The trial court's excellent factual summary is incorporated herein and adopted as our own. That summary details the pertinent facts of this case as follows:

"Dr. Gerald Carlson was seriously injured in an automobile accident which occurred on March 12, 1982. The accident was caused solely by the fault of another driver, Alfred Landry, Jr. Mr. Landry was insured by State Farm Automobile Insurance Company and his policy carried limits of $50,000.
"Mrs. Diana Simon, with the law firm of Simon and Woodruff was retained by Dr. Carlson on March 23, 1982. Safeco's file on the accident was opened on March 24, 1982.
"An initial question arose as to whether Dr. Carlson had rejected uninsured motorist limits of 100,000/300,000 and selected lower limits of 15,000/30,000. However, in a letter dated August 2, 1982, Elo Dean Whitmore, the Safeco adjuster handling the file, assured Simon that uninsured motorist coverage was in effect with limits of 100,000/300,000.
"A second question arose concerning whether or not the plaintiff could settle with and release State Farm and its insured without compromising his rights against Safeco. Mrs. Simon informed Whitmore of her intention to settle with State Farm and asked for Safeco's approval. Simon testified that Whitmore, in telephone conversations of October 18 and 20, 1982, informed her that Safeco had no subrogation rights which could be impaired and that it was permissible for Simon to settle with State Farm and its insured. Whitmore could not specifically recall the conversations. However, she did recall a similar case which had come up 9 to 10 months before Dr. Carlson's where she had requested a legal opinion on the matter. Safeco's lawyers had informed her that settlement with the principle [sic] insurer and the tort feasor [sic] would not prejudice rights against the uninsured motorist carrier. Whitmore also testified that her appreciation of the law had not changed in the intervening 9-10 months and that she would have maintained the same position.
"On November 3, 1982, the plaintiff settled with State Farm and its insured for the limits of the policy, $50,000. The following language was contained in the release:
"`It is further agreed that in the event other parties are responsible to me/us *666 for damages as a result of this accident, the execution of this agreement shall operate as a satisfaction of my/our claim against such other parties to the extent of the pro rata share of the party/parties herein released.'
"On April 29, 1983, Simon made demand on Safeco for the policy limits, [of] $100,000.
"By May 26, 1983, Willie Winters, a claims adjuster for Safeco, had enough information at his disposal to prepare a detailed claim and quantum analysis for Safeco. The fifth and sixth pages of this analysis are especially important. From page five (5) it is evident that Safeco was in a position to place its net range of exposure at between $41,612.65 and $54,012.65. Thus, it was undisputed that at least $41,612.65 was due to the plaintiff. Page six (6) of the analysis, however, suggests an initial offer of only $35,000 with the next offer in the range of $37,500—$38,500. It should be noted that no tender was made until more than a year after the preparation of this analysis.
"On July 27, 1983, the plaintiff filed suit against Safeco seeking penalties and attorney's fees.
"On October 6, 1983, a new memo by Winter [sic] stated that quantum had increased due to Dr. Carlson's persistent medical problems.
"On December 14, 1983, the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal decided the case of Roy v. USAA, 442 So.2d 1303 (3rd Cir.1983), later reversed at 453 So.2d 564 (La.1984). In that case the Third Circuit determined that the release of the tortfeasor without reservation against the uninsured motorist carrier would also release the uninsured [motorist] carrier.
"On June 13, 1984, Safeco informed the plaintiff that it now took the position that the release of State Farm and Landry released Safeco and that the uninsured motorist limits of the plaintiff's policy were only 15,000/30,000 after all.
"On June 25, 1984, Roy v. USAA, supra, was reversed by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
"On July 16, 1984 and August 1, 1984, counsel for Safeco met with the agents who issued the plaintiff's policy. The agents informed counsel of new evidence tending to show that the plaintiff deliberately chose lower uninsured motorist limits.

"On July 18, 1984, Safeco tendered $15,000 to Dr. Carlson."

SELECTION OF LIMITS ISSUE

The defendant argues that the trial court erred in finding that Dr. Carlson did not execute a valid selection of lower uninsured motorist limits as contemplated by the governing statute, LSA-R.S. 22:1406. LSA-R.S. 22:1406 D(1)(a) provides that:

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499 So. 2d 664, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carlson-v-safeco-ins-co-lactapp-1986.