Friedman v. Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.

227 F. Supp. 3d 1192, 2017 WL 104904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27521
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJanuary 5, 2017
DocketCivil Action No. 12-cv-02432-WYD-KMT
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 227 F. Supp. 3d 1192 (Friedman v. Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Friedman v. Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., 227 F. Supp. 3d 1192, 2017 WL 104904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27521 (D. Colo. 2017).

Opinion

ORDER ON SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Wiley Y. Daniel, Senior United States District Judge

I, INTRODUCTION

THIS MATTER is before the Court on cross motions for summary judgment. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment, filed on March 25, 2016, seeks judgment as to Count I of the Fifth Amended Complaint for. violations of. the Colorado Consumer Protection Act [“CCPA”] on behalf of Plaintiff. Dr. Allen Friedman [“Friedman”] and Plaintiff-Intervenors Paul R. Peavey [“Peavey”] and Wendy Repovoch [“Repovich”] [collectively “Plaintiffs”]. Since the motion does not seek judgment as to all claims or on behalf of Plaintiff Michael J. Nellis [“Nellis”], I note that it is actually a motion for partial summary judgment. The motion is fully briefed.

Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment, also filed on March 25, 2016,. seeks summary judgment as to all Plaintiffs and all claims. It is fully briefed as well.

The case arises out of an alleged scheme by Defendants [hereinafter “Dollar”] to trick consumers, including Plaintiffs, into buying insurance and other services they did not want, including collision or loss damage waiver [“CDW’] or [“LDW’] car insurance. (Fifth Am. Compí. and Jury Demand, ECF No. 229, ¶ 12.) Plaintiffs allege they were charged for these services without proper-consent or contrary to specific disclosure requirements, and/or that they were misled into signing up for such .services contrary ‘to their initial agreements. (Id.)

The Fifth Amended Complaint asserts only individual claims by Plaintiffs, and was filed after lengthy proceedings as to class certification that ultimately resulted in the denial of such certification. It asserts claims for violations of the CCPA on behalf of Friedman, Peavey, and Repovich (Count I) as well as for violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act [“FDUTPA”] on behalf of Nellis (Count II). It also asserts - claims for breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing (Count III), declaratory relief as to the parties’ respective rights, duties, and obligations under various agreements (Count IV), and unjust enrichment (Count V)-

For the reasons stated below, Dollar’s Motion for Summary Judgment is granted as to all claims. Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment is denied.

II. FACTS

I note at the outset that I have considered all the facts and evidence cited by the parties, as well as the responses and replies as to these facts, but have cited only those facts I deem most material to my ruling. Exhibits submitted by Dollar are referenced by letter, e.g., Exhibit A. Exhibits submitted by Plaintiffs are referenced by number, e.g., Exhibit 1. Since both motions attach exhibits with the same numbers and letters, for clarity I have cited to the docket numbers that the exhibits are attached to.11 have cited to the record only when the facts were disputed [1195]*1195or where I otherwise thought it was necessary.

Dollar is a car rental company that, along with car rentals, offers customers optional products, including different types of insurance coverages and damage waivers. During the relevant period, Dollar’s rental process was centered around the in-person counter transaction. Although Dollar accepted online reservations, most, reservations did not require any form of payment or credit card and could be cancelled or changed at will by customers without any charge.

When a customer arrived at Dollar’s rental counter, Dollar’s representatives would ask questions to determine whether the customer might be interested in purchasing any optional product for their rental. One optional product that a customer could choose to purchase was LDW. LDW is an agreement with the customer (a contractual waiver) that relieves the customer of financial responsibility for unintentional damage to the rental car.

Pursuant to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-1-203, a rental agreement containing a provision for LDW must include a written disclosure as follows:

NOTICE: THIS CONTRACT OFFERS, FOR AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE, A COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER TO COVER YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. YOU ARE ADVISED NOT TO SIGN THIS WAIVER IF YOU HAVE RENTAL VEHICLE COLLISION COVERAGE PROVIDED BY CERTAIN GOLD OR PLATINUM CREDIT CARDS OR COLLISION INSURANCE ON YOUR OWN VEHICLE. BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO PURCHASE THE COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER, YOU MAY WISH TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR OWN VEHICLE INSURANCE AFFORDS YOU COVERAGE FOR DAMAGE TO- THE RENTAL VEHICLE AND THE AMOUNT OF THE DEDUCTIBLE UNDER YOUR OWN INSURANCE COVERAGE. THE PURCHASE OF THIS COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER IS NOT MANDATORY AND MAY BE WAIVED.

According to Plaintiffs, prior to January 2013 Dollar provided no signage, literature, placemat, or any other information that contained the written disclosures -required by § 6-1-203. (ECF No. 266, Ex. 8, Catanzarite Dep. 113:3-114:5; 141:3—143:6.) Plaintiffs also assert that Dollar does not provide the rental jacket, the long strip receipt or other documentation that contains the required disclosure language until after the customer has signed to complete the transaction. (Id. 141:3-143:6.)

Dollar denies the foregoing assertions. It asserts that Plaintiffs have not cited any testimony stating that Dollar did not provide any signage, literature, placemat, or other information containing the required disclosures. Dollar’s representative testified that he could not recall whether signs were posted, the dates when placemats were used, or whether the placemats included the' disclosure language. (ECF No. 266, Ex. 8, Catanzarite Dep. 113:3-114:5; 141:3-143:6.) Dollar also asserts that the disclosure language in § 6-1-203 was provided to customers in “a variety of different ways”. (ECF No. 272, Ex. G, Catanzarite Dep. 140:17-144:21; Ex. C, Capsanes Deck ¶ 38; ECF No. 266, Ex. 11, Repovich Rental Agreement; ECF No. 275, Ex. O, Rental Jacket.)

Thus, Dollar asserts that it provided the disclosure language on. an. electronic screen, called a SigCap console, before a customer was asked to provide their signature as to the rental. (ECF No. 266, Ex. 9, Catanzarite Decl. ¶ 25.) Dollar states that it used the SigCap console to review with [1196]*1196each customer the optional products and the price for each. (ECF No. 272, Ex. C, Capsanes Decl. ¶¶ 22-37.) If a customer elected to purchase LDW or another optional product, the SigCap screen displayed that selection and the price the customer would pay for the product. (Id. ¶31.) Each customer was asked to click “Agree” if they agreed with the charge. (Id. ¶¶ 39-45.)

It is undisputed, however, that Dollar did not include the disclosure language found in § 6-1-203 in the SigCap console until January 17, 2013. Indeed, Plaintiffs note that Dollar’s own manager in charge of DIA admitted that the mandatory disclosure language was added to the series of SigCap screens after this lawsuit was filed. (ECF No. 266, Ex. 8, Catanzarite Dep. 113:3-114:5; Ex. 9, Catanzarite Decl. ¶ 25). Plaintiffs also deny Dollar’s assertion that “each customer was asked to click ‘Agree’ if they agreed with the charge”. (See, e.g., ECF No. 266, Ex. 7, Repovich Dep. 32:5-10 (“Were you being shown any screens at that point? Not that I recall, no.”))

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Bluebook (online)
227 F. Supp. 3d 1192, 2017 WL 104904, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27521, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/friedman-v-dollar-thrifty-automotive-group-inc-cod-2017.