Erie Insurance Exchange v. Fleagle

427 A.2d 651, 285 Pa. Super. 310, 1981 Pa. Super. LEXIS 2085
Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided January 23, 1981·No. 1486·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinions

HOFFMAN, Judge:

Appellants in this declaratory judgment action contend that the lower court erred in concluding that appellee Kenneth P. Fleagle was not a “victim” as defined by the Pennsylvania No-fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act1 and thus not entitled to basic loss benefits provided by that Act. Appellants additionally raise several related contentions involving the rights and liabilities of the parties. For the reasons which follow, we reverse the order of the court below.

The facts are not in dispute and may be summarized as follows. On June 17,1976, appellee Kenneth P. Fleagle was [313] employed as a transmission mechanic by appellee L. B. Smith, Inc. On that day a patrol car driven by appellant Donald L. Tappan, a police officer employed by appellant Borough of Camp Hill, struck and injured Mr. Fleagle as he was crossing his employer’s parking lot to retrieve a car which he intended to drive into the garage for service. Mr. Fleagle and his wife, appellee Pauline Fleagle, instituted a trespass action against Mr. Tappan and the Borough of Camp Hill to recover for personal injuries sustained in the accident. While that action was pending, appellants2 brought this declaratory judgment action against the Fleagles, West American Insurance Company (the insurer of the Fleagles’ personal automobile), Mr. Fleagle’s employer, and PMA Insurance Company (the employer’s workmen’s compensation carrier, which had paid benefits for Mr. Fleagle’s medical expenses and lost wages resulting from the accident). The lower court entered an order which provided, inter alia, that Mr. Fleagle was not entitled to basic loss benefits pursuant to the No-fault Act. Appellants then took this appeal.

Section 201 of the No-fault Act, 40 P.S. § 1009.201, provides in part: “If the accident resulting in injury occurs in this Commonwealth, any victim ... is entitled to receive basic loss benefits in accordance with the provisions of this act.” (Emphasis added). Section 103 of the No-fault Act, 40 P.S. § 1009.103, defines “victim” as “an individual who suffers injury arising out of the maintenance or use of a motor vehicle . .. . ” (Emphasis added). Section 103 further states:

“Maintenance or use of a motor vehicle” means maintenance or use of a motor vehicle as a vehicle, including, incident to its maintenance or use as a vehicle, occupying, entering into, or alighting from it. Maintenance or use of a motor vehicle does not include:
(A) conduct within the course of a business of repairing, servicing, or otherwise maintaining motor vehicles unless the conduct occurs off the business premises ....

[314] Thus, Mr. Fleagle was not a “victim” under the No-fault Act if his injuries “ar[ose] out of ... conduct within the course of a business of repairing, servicing, or otherwise maintaining motor vehicles .... ”

In Dull v. Employers Mutual Casualty Co., 278 Pa.Super. 569, 420 A.2d 688 (1980) our Court stated:

In construing the statutory definition of “victim,” we begin by ascertaining the intent of the legislature. The purpose of the No-fault Act is “to establish at reasonable cost ... a Statewide system of prompt and adequate basic loss benefits for motor vehicle accident victims . ... ” 40 P.S. § 1009.102(b). [Citations omitted]. The Statutory Construction Act, 1 Pa.C.S.A. § 1901 et seq., which provides that “[w]ords and phrases shall be construed ... according to their common and approved usage,” id. § 1903, also provides that statutes such as the No-fault Act “shall be liberally construed to effect their objects and to promote justice.” Id. § 1928(c). However, “[w]hen the words of a statute are clear and free from ambiguity, the letter of it is not to be disregarded under the pretext of pursuing its spirit.” Id. § 1921(b). In Heffner v. Allstate Insurance Co., 265 Pa.Super. 181, 401 A.2d 1160 (1979), our Court stated: “Historically, the courts of this Commonwealth have ... found coverage for the insured in close or doubtful insurance cases. The tendency has been that if we should err in ascertaining the intent of the legislature ..., we should err in favor of coverage for the insured.” Id., 265 Pa.Super. at 187, 401 A.2d at 1162-63 (footnote omitted).

Id., 278 at 572, 420 A.2d at 689.

Although appellants concede that at the time of the accident Mr. Fleagle’s employer was in the “business of repairing, servicing, or otherwise maintaining motor vehicles” and that Mr. Fleagle was in the course of his employment, they argue that his injuries did not “aris[e] out of ... conduct within the course of [the motor vehicle repair] business.” We agree. The only connection between Mr. Fleagle’s injuries and the repair business is the fact that the [315] accident occurred while he was present on the business premises. The accident did not occur while he was servicing an automobile; rather, it occurred when he was struck by a police car as he was walking on the parking lot. Accordingly, the accident was in no way associated with Mr. Fleagle’s duties as a mechanic. Moreover, there is no indication whatsoever in the record that the police car was on the premises to be serviced. Thus, the connection between Mr. Fleagle’s injuries and the repair business is tenuous at best. Under these circumstances, construing the statutory language to effect the purpose of the No-fault Act, we conclude that Mr. Fleagle’s injuries did not “aris[e] out of . .. conduct within the course of a business of repairing, servicing, or otherwise maintaining motor vehicles .. . . ” Consequently, Mr. Fleagle satisfies the No-fault Act definition of “victim” and thus is entitled to basic loss benefits.

Appellants next contend that basic loss benefits under the Act are payable by appellee West American Insurance Company. Section 204 of the No-fault Act, 40 P.S. § 1009.-204, establishes priorities for the payment of basic loss benefits. Section 204(a)(2) states: “The security for the payment of basic loss benefits applicable to an injury to ... an insured is the security under which the victim ... is insured .... ” See Schimmelbusch v. Royal-Globe Insurance Co., 247 Pa.Super. 28, 32, 371 A.2d 1021, 1023 (1977) (“If a claimant carries insurance, subparagraph (2) directs that the claim must be presented to that insurer.”). Accordingly, because West American Insurance Company is the insurer of the Fleagles’ personal automobile, it is obligated to pay Mr. Fleagle’s basic loss benefits.3

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Erie Insurance Exchange v. Fleagle, 427 A.2d 651, 285 Pa. Super. 310, 1981 Pa. Super. LEXIS 2085 (Pa. Ct. App. 1981).

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Erie Insurance Exchange v. Fleagle
427 A.2d 651 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1981)