Cincinnati Insurance v. Getter

958 N.E.2d 202, 194 Ohio App. 3d 788
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 5, 2011
DocketNo. CA2010-10-297
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 958 N.E.2d 202 (Cincinnati Insurance v. Getter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cincinnati Insurance v. Getter, 958 N.E.2d 202, 194 Ohio App. 3d 788 (Ohio Ct. App. 2011).

Opinions

Powell, Presiding Judge.

{¶ 1} Plaintiff-appellant, Cincinnati Insurance Company, appeals from the Butler County Common Pleas Court’s decision granting summary judgment in favor of defendants-appellees, Robert Getter, Administrator of the Estate of Joyce Getter, deceased, and Auto Owners Insurance Company, on Cincinnati Insurance’s subrogation action.1 We affirm.

{¶ 2} Robert Getter and Joyce Getter leased an independent-living facility from Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services (“OPRS”), which is run by Midwest Presbyterian Senior Services (“MPSS”). MPSS owned the premises that OPRS leased to the Getters and insured the premises through Cincinnati Insurance. In 2008, a fire broke out at the premises leased by the Getters, causing $169,719.75 in damages. Cincinnati Insurance reimbursed MPSS for the damages to the leased premises minus the $10,000 deductible.

{¶ 3} Cincinnati Insurance then brought an action in the Butler County Common Pleas Court against Robert Getter as the administrator of Joyce Getter’s estate and the Getters’ insurer, Auto Owners, alleging that the fire was caused by Joyce Getter’s negligence and therefore Cincinnati Insurance was entitled to subrogation against her estate for the amount it had been obligated to [791]*791pay MPSS. Cincinnati Insurance also requested that Auto Owners be declared liable for the damages caused by Joyce Getter’s negligence.

{¶ 4} Robert Getter and Auto Owners moved for summary judgment on Cincinnati Insurance’s complaint, arguing that under United States Fire Ins. Co. v. Phil-Mar Corp. (1956), 166 Ohio St. 85, 1 O.O.2d 212, 139 N.E.2d 330, and cases following it, such as Buckeye Union Ins. Co. v. Consolidated Stores Corp. (1990), 68 Ohio App.3d 19, 587 N.E.2d 391, the terms of the Getters’ lease with OPRS relieved Joyce Getter from common-law liability for her alleged negligence. The trial court agreed and granted summary judgment to Robert Getter and Auto Owners on Cincinnati Insurance’s subrogation action.

{¶ 5} Cincinnati Insurance now appeals, raising the following as its sole assignment of error:

{¶ 6} The trial court erred to the prejudice of plaintiff-appellant in granting defendants-appellees’ motion for summary judgment.

{¶ 7} Cincinnati Insurance argues that the trial court erred in finding that the lease agreement between OPRS and the Getters relieved Joyce Getter from liability for her negligence in causing the fire that damaged the leased premises owned by MPSS, because the lease agreement contained neither a “surrender clause” stating that a lessee will not be held responsible at the lease’s termination for certain kinds of damage, nor a provision making it clear that the lessor’s insurance on the leased premises is intended to protect both the lessor and the lessee. Therefore, Cincinnati Insurance contends, the rule in Phil-Mar and its progeny does not apply to the Getters’ lease agreement and thus the lease agreement is subject to this state’s “general rules for contracts relieving a party from the consequences of their negligence,” which include the principle that such contracts are enforceable only if they are “clear and unequivocal.” Cincinnati Insurance asserts that there is no provision in the lease agreement that “clearly and unequivocally” released Joyce Getter from the consequences of her negligence. We find these arguments unpersuasive.

{¶ 8} A trial court’s decision to grant summary judgment is reviewed de novo. Doe v. Shaffer (2000), 90 Ohio St.3d 388, 390, 738 N.E.2d 1243. Summary judgment may be granted when there is no genuine issue of material fact remaining for trial, the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and reasonable minds can come to only one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the nonmoving party, who is entitled to have the evidence construed most strongly in its favor. Ohio Valley Associated Builders & Contrs. v. Rapier Elec., Inc., 192 Ohio App.3d 29, 2011-Ohio-160, 947 N.E.2d 1261, ¶ 11.

{¶ 9} Because Cincinnati Insurance brings this action as the subrogee of its insured, MPSS, Cincinnati Insurance can claim no rights greater than those [792]*792MPSS has against the Getters. Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Control Serv. Technology, Inc. (1996), 111 Ohio App.3d 801, 803, 677 N.E.2d 388. Therefore, if there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding the trial court’s finding that the lease agreement between the Getters and OPRS relieved Joyce Getter from her common-law liability to MPSS for her alleged negligence in causing the fire that damaged MPSS’s property, then Cincinnati Insurance has no claim against the Getters or their insurer, Auto Owners. Id. See also Nationwide Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. T & J Transp. & Warehouse (Jan. 25, 1991), Lucas App. No. L-90-097, 1991 WL 7274, *2.

{¶ 10} The “residency agreement” or lease agreement between OPRS and the Getters states:

{¶ 11} “D. YOUR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
{¶ 12} “ * * *
{¶ 13} “3. You shall have the sole responsibility of providing insurance coverage for loss, damage, or theft of your personal property that You maintain in the Community. Our liability shall be only for Our Own negligent acts or omissions, or those of Our employees within the scope of their jobs.
{¶ 14} “ * * *
{¶ 15} “E. ACCOMMODATIONS
{¶ 16} “ * * *
{¶ 17} “2. We will provide insurance on Your living unit (not Your personal possessions), building, grounds and equipment provided by Us. You are solely responsible for insuring Your personal possessions and furnishings.
{¶ 18} “ * * *
{¶ 19} “F. MANAGEMENT RIGHTS
{¶ 20} “ * * *
{¶ 21} “2. Any modifications or permanent additions requested by You to Your unit (interior or exterior) must be agreed to by both You and OPRS, and will be at Your expense. You will be charged the costs of returning the unit to its original condition when You permanently vacate the unit.”

{¶ 22} It has long been held in this state that a contract of indemnity purporting to relieve a party from the consequences of its negligence must be strictly construed and that the intention of the parties to provide such indemnification must be expressed in clear and unequivocal terms. See, e.g., Kay v. Pennsylvania RR. Co. (1952), 156 Ohio St. 503, 46 O.O. 417, 103 N.E.2d 751, paragraphs one and two of the syllabus, and George H. Dingledy Lumber Co. v. Erie RR. Co. (1921), 102 Ohio St. 236, 131 N.E. 723, paragraph one of the [793]*793syllabus. However, in Phil-Mar, 166 Ohio St.

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958 N.E.2d 202, 194 Ohio App. 3d 788, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cincinnati-insurance-v-getter-ohioctapp-2011.