Crawford Laboratories, Inc. v. St. Paul Insurance

715 N.E.2d 653, 306 Ill. App. 3d 538, 239 Ill. Dec. 899, 1999 Ill. App. LEXIS 492
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 30, 1999
Docket1-98-3317
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 715 N.E.2d 653 (Crawford Laboratories, Inc. v. St. Paul Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crawford Laboratories, Inc. v. St. Paul Insurance, 715 N.E.2d 653, 306 Ill. App. 3d 538, 239 Ill. Dec. 899, 1999 Ill. App. LEXIS 492 (Ill. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

JUSTICE HALL

delivered the opinion of the court:

Plaintiff, Crawford Laboratories, Inc. (Crawford), filed a declaratory judgment action against its liability insurance company defendant, St. Paul Insurance Company of Illinois (St. Paul), to determine the rights of the parties under a commercial general liability policy (CGL) issued by St. Paul to Crawford. Crawford sought a declaration that St. Paul was obligated to defend and indemnify Crawford for costs and attorney fees incurred in defending an action filed against Crawford by As You Sow (AYS), in the superior court of Marin County, California. The parties cross-moved for summary judgment. Summary judgment was granted in favor of St. Paul. Crawford’s motion for reconsideration and to vacate the summary judgment order was denied.

On appeal, Crawford contends that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of St. Paul. Crawford next contends that the AYS action seeks damages for bodily injury. Crawford also contends that the AYS complaint alleges bodily injury caused by an event within the liability coverage of the St. Paul policy. Finally, Crawford contends that Illinois public policy requires that St. Paul provide a defense and coverage for the underlying complaint.

The following facts are relevant to this appeal. Crawford manufactures and distributes paint and related products from its principal place of business in Chicago, Illinois. St. Paul issued a commercial general liability insurance policy to Crawford in February 1994. St. Paul requested that Crawford furnish information regarding the specific compounds, chemicals, and solvents utilized by Crawford in manufacturing its products. St. Paul also requested that Crawford supply copies of representative product labels for Crawford’s largest selling products.

In January 1995, the underlying California action was filed against Crawford by AYS, a California nonprofit organization. The AYS complaint sought injunctive relief and the imposition of penalties against Crawford under California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 25249.5 (West 1988)) (Proposition 65). Specifically, AYS sought: (1) civil penalties against Crawford in the amount of $2,500 per day for each violation; (2) to enjoin Crawford from offering its products for sale in California without providing clear and reasonable warnings; (3) restitution to individuals in the State of California of the purchase price of all the products sold in California in violation of Proposition 65’s warning requirements; and (4) AYS’ reasonable attorney fees and costs of suit.

AYS alleged that under Proposition 65, a business must provide individuals with a clear and reasonable warning before exposing them to certain toxic chemicals designated by the State of California as a known cause of cancer or birth defects. AYS alleged that, since 1988, Crawford has engaged in conduct that violates Proposition 65 by placing into commerce products containing Proposition 65 listed chemicals without a clear and reasonable warning. AYS further alleged that the individuals exposed to these chemicals have suffered irreparable harm. AYS alleged that Crawford knowingly and intentionally made these products available for sale in California and knew that their normal use would expose individuals to toxic chemicals.

Crawford tendered its defense of the AYS complaint to St. Paul. However, St. Paul denied it had a duty to defend or indemnify Crawford in the AYS action because: (1) the AYS action did not seek damages; (2) the AYS action did not seek damages for bodily injury within policy coverage; and (3) AYS only alleged intentional conduct by Crawford, which is beyond the CGL’s coverage. Crawford retained independent counsel in the underlying case. Crawford and AYS settled the matter for $3,000. In defending the underlying action, Crawford incurred attorney fees and expenses in excess of $117,500.

Crawford filed its complaint for declaratory judgment, and both parties subsequently moved for summary judgment. The trial court granted St. Paul’s motion for summary judgment, holding that the AYS lawsuit did not seek damages for bodily injury. Crawford subsequently filed a motion to reconsider, which was denied. This appeal followed.

The construction of an insurance policy and a determination of the rights and obligations thereunder are questions of law for the court to determine. Crum & Forster Managers Corp. v. Resolution Trust Corp., 156 Ill. 2d 384, 620 N.E.2d 1073 (1993). In such cases, disposition by way of summary judgment is appropriate. Crum & Forster Managers Corp., 156 Ill. 2d at 384. The standard of review is de novo. Laycock v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co., 289 Ill. App. 3d 264, 266, 682 N.E.2d 382 (1997). In Illinois, an insured’s potential liability for the purposes of defense and indemnity coverage is measured by the allegation of the underlying complaint. Conway v. Country Casualty Insurance Co., 92 Ill. 2d 388, 393, 442 N.E.2d 245 (1982). If the facts alleged in the complaint fall within, or potentially within, the language of the policy, the insurer’s duty to defend arises. Outboard Marine Corp. v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., 154 Ill. 2d 90, 108, 607 N.E.2d 1204 (1992). If the terms of the policy are clear and unambiguous, they must be given their plain and ordinary meaning. Outboard Marine, 154 Ill. 2d at 108. Only where it is clearly apparent on the face of the complaint that the claim is beyond policy coverage can the insurer justifiably refuse to defend. La Rotunda v. Royal Globe Insurance Co., 87 Ill. App. 3d 446, 451, 408 N.E.2d 928 (1980).

The St. Paul commercial general liability policy provides in relevant part:

“Bodily injury and property damage liability.
We’ll pay amounts any protected person is legally required to pay as damages for covered bodily injury, property damage or fire damage that:
happens on or after the retroactive date; and is caused by an event.
❖ '\i ❖
Bodily injury means:
any harm to the health of other persons, including physical harm, sickness, disease and mental anguish, injury or illness. And it includes care, loss of services or death that results from such harm.
Property damage means:
physical damage to tangible property of others, including all resulting loss of use of that property; or loss of use of tangible property of others that isn’t physically damaged.
❖ ^5 ❖
Event means:

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Bluebook (online)
715 N.E.2d 653, 306 Ill. App. 3d 538, 239 Ill. Dec. 899, 1999 Ill. App. LEXIS 492, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crawford-laboratories-inc-v-st-paul-insurance-illappct-1999.