Heubel Material Handling, Inc. v. Universal Underwriters Insurance

861 F. Supp. 2d 1003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38407, 2012 WL 967961
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedMarch 21, 2012
DocketNo. 4:10-CV-00102-DGK
StatusPublished

This text of 861 F. Supp. 2d 1003 (Heubel Material Handling, Inc. v. Universal Underwriters Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Heubel Material Handling, Inc. v. Universal Underwriters Insurance, 861 F. Supp. 2d 1003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38407, 2012 WL 967961 (W.D. Mo. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER ON SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTIONS

GREG KAYS, District Judge.

This lawsuit is a declaratory judgment action to determine which party is responsible for providing insurance coverage for a lawsuit currently pending in the District of Kansas, Harris v. Heubel Material Handling, Inc., No. 6:09-CV-1136-EFM. Now before the Court is Defendant/Third-Party Plaintiff Universal Underwriters’s separate motions for summary judgment against Plaintiff Heubel Material Handling Company, Inc. (“Heubel”) (doc. 185); Third-Party Defendant Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (“Liberty”) (doc. 187); and Third-Party Defendant The Raymond Corporation (“Raymond”) (doc. 189). Also before the Court is Heubel’s motion for summary judgment against Universal (doc. [1005]*1005193), Liberty’s motion for summary against Universal (doc. 191),1 and Raymond’s motion for summary judgment against Universal (doc. 197).

Pursuant to Local Rule 7.0(g), the parties have requested oral argument. Seeing no need for oral argument, that request is denied.

The Court holds that because Heubel has materially breached the cooperation clause in the Universal Policy by not permitting Universal to exercise its right to defend the Harris suit and by refusing to cooperate with Universal in the pursuit of indemnification from Raymond, Universal has no duty to defend or indemnify Heubel against the Harris claim. Accordingly, Universal’s motion for summary judgment against Heubel (doc. 185) is GRANTED, and Heubel’s motion for summary judgment against Universal (doc. 193) is DENIED.

Additionally, because Universal has no duty to defend or indemnify Heubel for the Harris claim, the question whether Universal’s policy provides coverage before the Liberty policy or Raymond’s Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program is obviously moot. Thus Universal’s motions for summary judgment against Liberty (doc. 187) and Raymond (doc. 189) are DENIED AS MOOT, as is Liberty’s motion for summary judgment against Universal (doc. 191) and Raymond’s motion for summary judgment against Universal (doc. 197).

Summary Judgment Standard

A moving party is entitled to summary judgment “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). A party who moves for summary judgment bears the burden of showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 256, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). When considering a motion for summary judgment, a court must scrutinize the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, and the nonmoving party “must be given the benefit of all reasonable inferences.” Mirax Chem. Prods. Corp. v. First Interstate Commercial Corp., 950 F.2d 566, 569 (8th Cir.1991) (citation omitted).

To establish a genuine issue of fact sufficient to warrant trial, the nonmoving party “must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Instead, the nonmoving party must set forth specific facts showing there is a genuine issue for trial. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. But the non-moving party “cannot create sham issues of fact in an effort to defeat summary judgment.” RSBI Aerospace, Inc. v. Affil[1006]*1006iated FM Ins. Co., 49 F.3d 399, 402 (8th Cir.1995) (citation omitted).

Facts

For purposes of resolving the pending motion, the Court finds the facts to be as follows. Properly controverted facts, facts immaterial to the resolution of the pending motion, facts not properly supported by the cited portion of the record, disputed legal conclusions, and argument presented as proposed facts have been omitted.

1. Raymond’s Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program and the Liberty Policy.

Third Party Defendant The Raymond Corporation (“Raymond”) is a designer and manufacturer of material handling equipment. Plaintiff Heubel Material Handling, Inc. (“Heubel”) is an authorized Raymond dealer. While Raymond and Heubel are separate corporate entities, Raymond owns 100% of the stock of Raymond Sales Corporation, which in turn has an ownership interest in Heubel. At the time of the accident involving William Harris, August 2, 2007, Raymond Sales Corporation owned a minority interest in Heubel. On August 8, 2007, Raymond Sales Corporation increased its ownership interest to 83.8% of Heubel’s stock.

As an authorized Raymond dealer, Heubel provides service on Raymond products and participates in the Raymond Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program (“the Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program” or “the Program”). Like other authorized Raymond dealers, Heubel participates in funding the Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program by paying a 2% surcharge on the sale of parts sold by Raymond to Heubel. The Program was in effect in August of 2007.

The funds that Raymond receives from the dealers as part of the Program are not put into a separate account but rather are part of Raymond’s general operating fund. Wflien payments are made in connection with the Program, the payments are made out of a Raymond account. When insurance policies are purchased by Raymond in connection with the Program, Raymond pays for those policies and charges.

The Raymond Legal Department is responsible for the Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program. Timothy Koval is currently Chief Legal Officer and Vice President of Raymond and has been employed in Raymond’s legal department since 1989. During his time at Raymond, Koval has administered the Program. Koval does not recall Raymond ever submitting a dealer claim to an insurer that Raymond had determined was not covered by the Program, nor does he recall Raymond ever seeking payment from a dealer that would come within a self-insured retention under a policy of insurance purchased in connection with the Program.

The Dealer Defense and Indemnification Program states it is “the policy of Raymond to maintain a product liability and loss prevention defense and indemnification program, mandatory for all Raymond Dealers.” It further states:

It is our policy: ...
3. To limit the terms of this coverage to the distribution, sale and/or service of Raymond products only, under the following terms:

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Bluebook (online)
861 F. Supp. 2d 1003, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38407, 2012 WL 967961, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/heubel-material-handling-inc-v-universal-underwriters-insurance-mowd-2012.