Clonch v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance

932 N.E.2d 975, 187 Ohio App. 3d 570
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 21, 2010
DocketNo. S-09-031
StatusPublished

This text of 932 N.E.2d 975 (Clonch v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance) 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
Clonch v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, 932 N.E.2d 975, 187 Ohio App. 3d 570 (Ohio Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

Osowik, Presiding Judge.

{¶ 1} This is an appeal from a judgment of the Sandusky Court of Common Pleas, in which the trial court granted summary judgment to appellee, Naquel I. Binder, in an action for damages following a motor vehicle accident. On appeal, appellants, Samantha, Tammy, and Kenneth Clonch, set forth the following two assignments of error:

{¶ 2} “Assignment of Error No. 1
{¶ 3} “The Court erred in entering summary judgment for the Defendant, Binder, where there were genuine questions of material facts shown to exist as to her right to control her vehicle.
{¶ 4} “Assignment of Error No. 2
[572]*572{¶ 5} “The Court erred in awarding summary judgment where as a matter of law the non moving party established a rebuttable presumption of the Defendant, Naquel Binder’s, liability.”

{¶ 6} On July 6, 2002, Binder, Binder’s daughter, Amanda, her boyfriend, Lancan Holbrook, and Amanda’s friend, Samantha Clonch, were involved in an automobile accident while returning to Fremont, Ohio, from King’s Island amusement park. It was determined after investigation that the accident had occurred because Holbrook, who was driving a minivan owned by Binder, had failed to stop at a stop sign. As a result of Holbrook’s actions, the minivan collided with another vehicle, killing the driver of that vehicle and severely injuring Samantha Clonch, who remains partially paralyzed.

{¶ 7} Samantha and her parents filed a complaint against Holbrook, Binder, and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in the Erie County Court of Common Pleas, on October 13, 2006.1 The complaint sought damages from Holbrook, as the driver of the minivan; Binder, as the vehicle’s owner; and State Farm, as the separate insurer of both Holbrook and Binder. Holbrook and Binder answered the complaint on December 8 and December 10, 2006, respectively.

{¶ 8} On January 4, 2007, Holbrook filed a motion to dismiss the complaint, in which he stated that any financial obligations arising from the accident had been discharged in bankruptcy. That same day, Holbrook filed a motion to change venue, in which he argued that Sandusky County, not Erie County, was the proper venue, because both defendants lived in Sandusky County.

{¶ 9} On January 16, 2007, State Farm filed an answer in which it admitted that Binder’s insurance policy provided $100,000 in medical coverage per accident. However, State Farm denied coverage under Holbrook’s separate policy because he was not driving his own vehicle at the time of the accident. State Farm also asserted that it was not responsible to pay under the liability portion of Binder’s policy for damages arising from Holbrook’s negligence. On January 30, 2007, the trial court issued a judgment entry in which it granted Holbrook’s motion to change venue and ordered the case transferred to Sandusky County.

{¶ 10} Binder filed a motion for summary judgment in the Sandusky Court of Common Pleas on July 16, 2007, in which she asserted that she was not liable for Holbrook’s negligence solely by virtue of her status as an owner-passenger in the minivan at the time of the accident. In support, Binder argued that there is no basis on which to impute liability to her because she did not exercise any control over how Holbrook drove the minivan on July 6, 2002. Attached to Binder’s [573]*573motion was her own affidavit, along with Holbrook’s affidavit and a copy of a police report that showed that, at the time of the accident, Holbrook was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

{¶ 11} Binder stated in her affidavit that Holbrook drove the minivan with her permission because he was a more experienced driver and because her minivan accommodated more passengers than Holbrook’s truck. Binder also stated that she “did not direct the operation of the van by Lancan Holbrook on the trip in any manner.” Binder stated that she and Holbrook were not engaged in a business venture of any kind with respect to the minivan or the trip to King’s Island. In addition to confirming Binder’s statements, Holbrook stated in his affidavit that he has a good driving record as an adult, and the trip to King’s Island was for pleasure and was not “business related.”

{¶ 12} On July 27, 2007, the trial court denied Holbrook’s motion to dismiss. However, the trial court stated that due to the discharge of Holbrook’s debts in bankruptcy, any recovery from Holbrook would be limited to insurance benefits.

{¶ 13} On September 10, 2007, State Farm filed a motion for summary judgment, in which it stated that “[bjoth Defendants Holbrook and Binder had automobile liability insurance policies with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company” at the time of the accident. However, State Farm argued that no benefits are available pursuant to Holbrook’s policy, and appellants are entitled to medical and liability benefits, if any, only through Binder’s automobile insurance policy. State Farm also argued that appellants’ claim that State Farm acted in bad faith by refusing to pay benefits pursuant to Holbrook’s policy should be dismissed. Attached to State Farm’s motion were copies of Binder’s and Holbrook’s State Farm policies and the affidavits of Holbrook, Binder, and State Farm insurance agent William Baker.

{¶ 14} On November 13, 2007, the trial court issued a judgment entry in which it found that genuine issues of fact remained as to whether Holbrook’s negligence could be attributed to Binder, thereby obligating State Farm to pay additional benefits under Binder’s policy. Accordingly, the trial court denied Binder’s and State Farm’s motions for summary judgment.

{¶ 15} On May 16, 2008, with leave of court, State Farm filed a supplemental motion for summary judgment on the issue of whether appellants were entitled to additional benefits under Holbrook’s automobile insurance policy. On June 10, 2008, Binder filed a renewed motion for summary judgment on the issue of whether she had control of the minivan at the time of accident, thereby making her liable for Holbrook’s negligence. In support of her motion, Binder relied on her deposition testimony and that of Holbrook, which was not available when Binder filed her previous motions for summary judgment. In his deposition, Holbrook stated that he had driven Binder’s vehicle to and from King’s Island, [574]*574and that he alone had determined the route for the trip, during which Binder did not physically operate the vehicle or control its operation in any way. In her deposition, Binder confirmed Holbrook’s statements that he controlled the vehicle. The trial court denied both supplemental motions for summary judgment on July 18, 2008.

{¶ 16} On March 24, 2009, with leave of court, State Farm filed a motion for reconsideration of the trial court’s February 24, 2009 judgment entry. On March 26, 2009, Binder filed a separate motion for reconsideration, in which she asked the trial court to revisit the issue of whether she remained in control of her vehicle while it was driven by Holbrook. In support of her argument, Binder once again relied on her own and Holbrook’s deposition testimony, in which they both stated that Binder did not drive or direct Holbrook as to how to drive the vehicle.

{¶ 17} On April 20, 2009, appellants filed a motion to strike Binder’s motion for reconsideration.

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

Related

Lorain National Bank v. Saratoga Apartments
572 N.E.2d 198 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1989)
Allstate Ins. Co. v. Combs
206 N.E.2d 36 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1964)
Village of Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co.
77 Ohio St. 3d 102 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
932 N.E.2d 975, 187 Ohio App. 3d 570, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/clonch-v-state-farm-mutual-automobile-insurance-ohioctapp-2010.