Illinois Union Insurance v. NRI Construction Inc.

846 F. Supp. 2d 1366, 2012 WL 678183, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37934
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedFebruary 28, 2012
DocketCivil Action No. 1:10-cv-02448-JOF
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 846 F. Supp. 2d 1366 (Illinois Union Insurance v. NRI Construction Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Illinois Union Insurance v. NRI Construction Inc., 846 F. Supp. 2d 1366, 2012 WL 678183, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37934 (N.D. Ga. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

J. OWEN FORRESTER, Senior District Judge.

This matter is before the court on Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment [32] and Plaintiffs Motion for Default Judgment as to Jose Alonzo [44],

I. Background

A. Procedural and Factual History1

Plaintiff, Illinois Union Insurance Company, filed this declaratory judgment action against Defendants, NRI Construction, Inc. and Jose Alonzo, on August 4, 2010, seeking a declaration that Illinois Union has no duty to defend, indemnify or [1369]*1369otherwise pay the Defendants in connection with litigation between Defendants NRI Construction and Alonzo. On April 27, 2011, Plaintiff filed the present Motion for Summary Judgment.

This is an insurance coverage case arising out of a Commercial General Liability Policy issued by Illinois Union to NRI Construction for policy year May 6, 2007, through May 6, 2008. The policy included a notice provision which required NRI Construction to notify Illinois Union “as soon as practicable of an ‘occurrence’ or an offense which may result in a claim.” Pl.’s Statement of Material Facts (“PSMF”), ¶ 2. The policy defined ‘occurrence’ as “an accident.” Id.

In April of 2008, NRI Construction was acting as the general contractor on a construction project in Hattfield, Pennsylvania and had retained C & S Painting as a subcontractor to conduct exterior cladding and demolition work on an existing building. On April 29, 2008, Defendant Alonzo, who was either a subcontractor or employee of C & S Painting, purportedly sustained injuries when he fell from a ladder. Emails between one John McCormick and David Mann, who was NRI Construction’s project manager for the Hattfield project, provide more details on Alonzo’s fall. According to the emails, Alonzo fell “8 feet off a ladder. He was able to get up and under his own strength walk to NRI’s Office (approx. 600 yards) and inform David Mann of what had happened. He complained that he has hurt his shoulder, but could still move it. The ambulance was called and he was taken to the hospital.” Manoah Dep., Exh. 12. The emails also indicate that Alonzo injured “his side and rib area.” Id. NRI Construction did not notify Illinois Union of the incident at the time, but did speak to its insurance agent. According to NRI, the agent responded, “Well, if he’s got insurance and you’re okay, don’t worry about it .... the guy wasn’t working for you.” Manoah Dep., at 60. Shortly thereafter, in May of 2008, NRI Construction, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“NRI of Delaware”), acquired all the assets of Defendant NRI Construction, Inc., a Georgia corporation (“NRI of Georgia”).

In January of 2010, Alonzo filed.suit against several defendants, including NRI of Georgia, in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (“the Underlying Action”), for injuries allegedly suffered as a result of his fall from the ladder. After being served with the complaint in the Underlying Act, NRI of Georgia provided Illinois Union with notice of Alonzo’s accident in February 2010. On February 11, 2010, Thomas Weinberger, Chief Claims Specialist at Illinois Union, sent an email to Michael McCarthy, former CFO of NRI of Georgia and then-CFO of NRI of Delaware, asking McCarthy to answer various questions so that the Alonzo claim could be investigated. McCarthy acknowledged the email the same day and responded that he would “investigate and find out what’s up.” PSMF, ¶ 10. Weinberger’s questions were then answered by one Todd Shirner on February 16, 2010.

After investigating the allegations of the Underlying Action, Illinois Union decided to’ defend NRI of Georgia under a reservation of rights. Illinois Union thus sent a reservation of rights letter via email and certified mail to Michael McCarthy and Todd Shirner. The reservation of rights letter stated that “[Illinois Union] reserves the right to withdraw from the defense, to seek recoupment of any expenses incurred in the defense, to seek a declaration of its rights and its obligations, if any, and to decline any obligation to indemnify or defend.” Weinberger Deck, Exh. 4, at 5. That same day, McCarthy responded,

[1370]*1370Thank you Tom. Moving forward, please make Pazit Lewit your primary contact____ Pazit is the representative of NRI Construction, Inc. of GA, which is who this claim is directed against. Todd and I actually work for NRI Construction, Inc. of DE, a company which acquired the assets of NRI Construction, Inc. of GA subsequent to the date of this accident.

Weinberger Deck, Exh. 4. McCarthy then forwarded the reservation of rights letter to Ron Manoah, an owner and officer of NRI of Georgia. Illinois Union subsequently defended NRI of Georgia in the underlying case.

B. Contentions

Illinois Union argues that NRI of Georgia violated the notice provision in its insurance policy by waiting almost two years to report Alonzo’s accident, and therefore Illinois Union has no duty to defend, indemnify or otherwise pay the Defendants in connection with the Underlying Action. Illinois Union seeks reimbursement for all costs and fees it incurred in defending the Underlying Action.

Defendant responds that it had a reasonable excuse for its delay in providing notice: it believed Alonzo was covered by workers’ compensation insurance through his employer, C & S Painting. Defendant contends that a jury should determine whether, under these circumstances, Illinois Union was given proper notice. Defendant further argues that Illinois Union’s reservation of rights letter was defective because it was sent to Michael McCarthy and Todd Shirner in 2010 when they were no longer employees of NRI of Georgia and instead worked for NRI of Delaware. Defendant finally contends that Illinois Union’s request for the costs and fees related to the Underlying Action should be denied because it is contrary to the policy terms and Georgia law.

II. Discussion

A. Notice Provision

This court has analyzed the issue of “notice” under Georgia insurance law on several occasions. See, e.g., Illinois Union Ins. Co. v. Sierra Contracting Corp., 744 F.Supp.2d 1349, 1351 (N.D.Ga.2010) (Forrester, J.) (citing cases). Under Georgia law, a notice provision which is made a condition precedent to coverage is valid, and where an insured has failed to demonstrate sufficient justification for failure to provide notice in accordance with such notice provision, the insurer is not obligated to provide coverage or a defense. Id.

“Generally, notice provisions are made a condition precedent to coverage so that insurers can be certain that they are given the opportunity to investigate the facts surrounding an incident promptly and to prepare a defense or settlement while the facts are still fresh and witnesses are still available.” Id.2

The meaning of “as soon as practicable,” and the sufficiency of an insured’s excuse are generally questions of fact to be determined by a jury, according to the nature and circumstances of the individual case. Id. at 1351-52. Nonetheless, Georgia courts have found on a number of occasions that an insured’s justification for failure to notify the insurer was unreasonable as a matter of law under the nature and circumstances of the case. Id. at 1352;

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846 F. Supp. 2d 1366, 2012 WL 678183, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37934, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/illinois-union-insurance-v-nri-construction-inc-gand-2012.