Doe v. Ins. Co. Of The State Of Pennsylvania

363 F. Supp. 3d 1358
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedOctober 22, 2018
DocketCase No. 17-21203-CIV-GAYLES
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 363 F. Supp. 3d 1358 (Doe v. Ins. Co. Of The State Of Pennsylvania) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doe v. Ins. Co. Of The State Of Pennsylvania, 363 F. Supp. 3d 1358 (S.D. Fla. 2018).

Opinion

DARRIN P. GAYLES, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon Defendant The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania's ("Defendant") Motion for Final Summary Judgment (the "Motion"). [ECF No. 45]. The Court has considered the Motion, the record, argument of counsel at the hearing on the Motion, and is otherwise fully advised. For the reasons set forth below, the Motion is GRANTED.

I. BACKGROUND

A. The Underlying Action

On July 26, 2013, Plaintiff Jane Doe ("Plaintiff") filed an action (the "Underlying Action") against Cayman Style Ocean Adventures, Inc. ("CSOA") and its employee Shawn Mourao ("Mourao"). On March 3, 2014, Plaintiff filed her Second Amended Complaint in the Underlying Action bringing claims for negligence, sexual assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress (the "Underlying Complaint"). [ECF No. 29]. Aside from the direct negligence claim against CSOA, Plaintiff's claims were brought against Mourao individually and against CSOA based on vicarious liability.

As set forth in the Underlying Complaint, on July 22, 2012, Plaintiff embarked on a seven-day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Legend. For the cruise's stop in Grand Cayman, Plaintiff purchased a three-hour beach and party boat snorkeling excursion operated by CSOA. On July *136127, 2012, Plaintiff went ashore to participate in the excursion. Upon arriving at the CSOA excursion vessel, Plaintiff was introduced to Mourao who identified himself as the captain. When the CSOA excursion vessel returned to the harbor, Plaintiff disembarked and remarked that she needed to use the bathroom before returning to the Carnival Legend. Mourao offered to direct Plaintiff to the nearest bathroom. Rather than assist Plaintiff, Mourao led her to a nearby shopping center where he detained her against her will in a small room and sexually assaulted her.

CSOA and Mourao failed to appear in or defend the Underlying Action. After clerk's defaults were entered against both, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Entry of Final Default Judgment [ECF No. 42-4]. The court entered a Final Default Judgment as to Liability [ECF No. 42-6], but reserved judgment as to damages pending an evidentiary hearing. After the evidentiary hearing, the court entered a Final Default Judgment in the amount of $ 1,988,460.54 against CSOA and Mourao jointly and severally. [ECF No. 42-7].

B. The Policies

At the time of the allegations in the Underlying Complaint, CSOA and Mourao were insured by Defendant under a Foreign Commercial General Liability Policy [ECF No. 1-1]. A second policy, the Foreign Commercial Package Policy, which is materially identical, was also issued to "Cayman Style Ocean Adventures, Ltd." [ECF No. 1-2] (collectively the "Policies"). The relevant provisions of the Policies provide:

SECTION I - COVERAGES

COVERAGE A BODILY INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY

Subject to any deductibles, limitations, terms, conditions, sublimits and exclusions contained in the Declarations, together with any Schedules applicable to this Foreign Commercial General Liability Coverage Part, we agree to provide coverage to you to the extent herein provided.
1. Insuring Agreement
a. We will pay those sums that an insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury or property damage to which this insurance applies....
b. This Foreign Commercial General Liability Coverage Part applies to bodily injury and property damage only if:
(1) The bodily injury or property damage is caused by an occurrence that takes place in the coverage territory.
* * *
SECTION V - DEFINITIONS
* * *
15. Occurrence means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.
* * *
2. Exclusions
This insurance does not apply to:
a. Expected or Intended Injury
Bodily injury or property damage expected or intended from the standpoint of the insured.
* * *
ABUSE OR MOLESTATION EXCLUSION
* * *
The following exclusion is added to Paragraph 2., Exclusions of Section I -*1362Coverage A - Bodily Injury And Property Damage Liability ...
This insurance does not apply to bodily injury ... arising out of:
1. The actual or threatened abuse or molestation by anyone of any person while in the care, custody or control of any insured, or
2. The negligent:
a. Employment;
b. Investigation;
c. Supervision;
d. Reporting to the property authorities, or failure to so report; or
e. Retention
of a person for whom any insured is or ever was legally responsible and whose conduct would be excluded by Paragraph 1., above.
COVERAGE C MEDICAL PAYMENTS
1. Insuring Agreement
a. We will pay medical expenses as described below for bodily injury caused by an accident:
(1) On premises you own or rent;
(2) On ways next to premises you own or rent; or
(3) Because of your operations; provided that:
(1) The accident takes place in the coverage territory and during the Policy Term;
(2) The expenses are incurred and reported to us within one year of the date of the accident; and
(3) The injured person submits to examination, at our expense, by physicians of our choice as often as we reasonably require.
* * *
g. Coverage A Exclusions
Excluded under Coverage A.

[See ECF No. 43-3, 43-3]. Based on its interpretation of the Policies, Defendant denied coverage in the Underlying Action.

C. The Current Action

Plaintiff brought this lawsuit for breach of contract and declaratory relief seeking to recover the full amount of the Final Default judgment in the Underlying Lawsuit. In her First Amended Complaint [ECF No. 29] and in the pleadings presently before this Court, Plaintiff argues that Defendant must indemnify its insureds because the Final Default Judgment falls within the terms of the Policies and no exclusions apply.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
363 F. Supp. 3d 1358, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doe-v-ins-co-of-the-state-of-pennsylvania-flsd-2018.