Glick v. State Automobile Insurance

255 N.W. 57, 127 Neb. 350, 1934 Neb. LEXIS 56
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedJune 8, 1934
DocketNo. 28979
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 255 N.W. 57 (Glick v. State Automobile Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Glick v. State Automobile Insurance, 255 N.W. 57, 127 Neb. 350, 1934 Neb. LEXIS 56 (Neb. 1934).

Opinion

Leslie, District Judge.

This action is an appeal from answer of defendant as garnishee in the case of Glick v. Poska, in the district court for Lancaster county.

Plaintiff alleges that on the 8th day of April, 1930, she commenced an action in the district court for Lancaster county against one Bert Poska for recovery of damages for the wrongful death of her husband, Clarence T. Glick, in an automobile accident in Lincoln, March 3, 1930; that judgment was entered in favor of plaintiff December 17, 1930; that defendant appealed therefrom to this court without supersedeas bond; that subsequently execution issued and was returned unsatisfied; that, while said case was pending in the supreme court, garnishment issued against defendant insurance association, and that it made answer that it issued a policy of liability insurance to the defendant Poska, but that it had no property, credits, or assets in its possession belonging to said judgment debtor. From this answer plaintiff appealed, and in her petition alleged that defendant garnishee was at said time indebted to said judgment debtor in the sum of $10,000 on account of its contract of insurance issued to said debtor.

Defendant, by its answer to plaintiff’s amended petition, admits that it issued a policy of liability insurance to Poska, and that the plaintiff recovered judgment against him in the sum of $11,000 for the accidental death of her husband in an automobile accident; that an appeal was taken from said judgment to the supreme court by said [352]*352defendant Poska; that no supersedeas bond was filed, and that, while said case was pending- on appeal in the supreme court, garnishment summons was served upon the defendant, and its answer was that it had no property in its possession belonging to the said Poska.

For further answer the defendant alleges that plaintiff is not entitled to recover under the terms of its policy issued to said judgment debtor, Poska.

Defendant alleges also that on the 5th day of May, 1931, the said Poska filed suit in the district court for Lancaster county against defendant insurance association for reformation of policy; that said cause was removed to the United States district court, Lincoln division, and that it was determined by said court on the 14th day of March, 1932, that the said Poska was not entitled to reformation of the policy of liability insurance; that the judgment in said cause has not been reversed, but that an appeal has been taken by said Poska to the United States circuit court of appeals, and is still pending.

Trial was had to a jury and verdict was for the plaintiff in the sum of $11,662.66. Subsequently the court, on motion of plaintiff, allowed her attorneys a fee of $1,400, to be taxed as part of the costs. From this judgment defendant appealed‘to this court.

Numerous assignments of error are relied upon by the defendant for reversal of the judgment. These assignments have been carefully reviewed by the court, but it is only necessary to discuss (1) the legal-effect upon this case of the pendency of the proceeding in the federal court; (2) the provisions of the policy which it is contended by the defendant insurance association precludes plaintiff from maintaining this action; and (3) the sufficiency of the evidence.

We shall consider first the legal effect of the proceeding pending in the United States district court. In that case the judgment debtor, Poska, brought suit in equity against this defendant in the United States district court to reform the policy to conform to the alleged [353]*353oral understanding of the parties as to what the terms of the policy were to be as to the extent of coverage. Poska contended in his petition that he made application to the agent of defendant insurance association for a policy that would indemnify him against loss by any person not employed by the assured from accidents occurring by reason of the operation of any automobile owned by the said plaintiff and while used for business or pleasure purposes; that the defendant insurance association, through its agent, agreed to write such a policy, and at the time of the delivery of the policy in question to Poska gave -him assurances that by the terms thereof he was given general coverage, regardless of whether insured was using the automobile in connection with his business or otherwise.

By the language of the policy the judgment debtor was given only limited coverage, the policy reading that the assured is indemnified “against loss from liability * * * from accidents occurring while this policy is in force and caused by reason of the * * * operation * * * or use of any automobile * * * incidental to and necessary in the conduct of the business of the assured.” The United States district court found that the evidence did not justify reformation of the policy, and plaintiff’s bill was. dismissed. An appeal, however, was taken to the United States circuit court of appeals. Plaintiff Glick, Administratrix, was not a party to these proceedings in the United States courts; but, quite apart from this, in the instant case judgment was rendered in the district court for Lancaster county before the case of Poska v. State Automobile Insurance Association was filed in the United: States district court. In the proceeding in the United States district court it was sought merely to reform the policy to conform to what the insured claims was the oral agreement as to the extent of protection the insured judgment debtor would have under the policy. In the instant case the trial court submitted to the jury, by appropriate instructions, whether at the time of the accident the in[354]*354sured was using the car incidental to the conduct of his business, and also the following special interrogatories:

“Was Bert Poska driving his automobile at the time of the accident * * * on business incidental to the conduct of the garage business? Answer: Yes.”
“Did Bert Poska and * * * the agent of the defendant * * * definitely * * * agree that the policy of insurance * * * should insure Bert Poska while operating automobiles for pleasure? Answer: No.”

Clearly the case in the federal court could not, by the application of any known rule of law, have any bearing upon the instant case. If the court, instead of refusing to reform the contract, had reformed it, and the trial had been had in the state court subsequent instead of prior to such reformation, the status of the parties in the instant case would not have been changed in the least, and the case would have been submitted upon the same issues and instructions. Defendant concedes that, if the car was-being used by insured at the time of the accident in connection with the business of his garage, defendant would be liable. The jury specifically found that the automobile was being so used by insured, and their verdict was for plaintiff upon that theory. The judgment against the insured not having been superseded, and execution against judgment debtor having been returned unsatisfied, plaintiff was entitled, so far as the pendency of any other litigation was concerned, to maintain this action against the insurance association.

We will next consider the provision of the policy which defendant urges in support of its contention that plaintiff ■cannot maintain this action. It is, in substance, as follows:

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Bluebook (online)
255 N.W. 57, 127 Neb. 350, 1934 Neb. LEXIS 56, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/glick-v-state-automobile-insurance-neb-1934.