Lowrey v. Allstate Insurance

24 Pa. D. & C.3d 608, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 385
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Mercer County
DecidedJanuary 7, 1983
Docketno. 1171 C.D. 1981
StatusPublished

This text of 24 Pa. D. & C.3d 608 (Lowrey v. Allstate Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Mercer County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lowrey v. Allstate Insurance, 24 Pa. D. & C.3d 608, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 385 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1983).

Opinion

ACKER, J.,

This matter comes before this court upon a motion for summary judgment filed on behalf of plaintiff, Lori A. Lowrey, and against both defendants; a motion for summary judgment by defendant, Allstate Insurance Company; and a preliminary objection by Allstate contending that the cross-action of Firemen’s Fund against it be stricken, or in the alternative, be required to be amended to be more specific.

A summary judgment may be properly granted only if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories and admissions, together with affidavits if any, show there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is permit[610]*610ted to judgment as a matter of law: Taylor v. Tukanowicz, 290 Pa. Super. 581, 435 A. 2d 181 (1981); Keating v. Zemel, 281 Pa. Super. 129, 421 A. 2d 1181 (1980); Scheetz v. Borough of Lansdale, _Pa__, 438 A. 2d 1048 (1982). The rule has also been stated that a summary judgment is proper only if the evidence before the court is such as would warrant granting a defendant’s points for binding instruction after trial: Bremmer v. Protected Home Mutual Life Insurance Company, 436 Pa. 494, 260 A. 2d 785(1970), appeal after remand, 218 Pa. Super. 364, 280 A. 2d 664 (1971). Where it is clear that plaintiffs have not met their burden in responding to the summary judgment motion by demonstrating the existence of evidence and reasonable inferences sufficient to sustain a verdict in their favor, the summary judgment may be properly entered: Community Med. Services v. Local 2665, 292 Pa. Super. 238, 437 A. 2d 23 (1981).

In considering a motion for summary judgment, the court is not to resolve any genuine issue of material fact. Its sole responsibility is to determine whether such an issue exists through construction of Pa.R.C.P. no. 1035: TomMorello Const. Co., Inc. v. Bridgeport Federal Savings 8c Loan Association, 280 Pa. Super. 329, 421 A. 2d 747 (1980). Ah parties have requested summary judgment contending that there are no genuine issues of fact. We agree that there is no genuine issue of fact.

The legal issue is whether or not Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company is the primary source of basic loss benefits pursuant to Section 204 of the No-fault Act [40 P.S. Sec. 1009.204(a)(1)].1 The applicable portion of Section 204(a)(1) reads,

[611]*611“The security for the payment of basic loss benefits applicable to an injury to: (1) an employee, or to the spouse or other relative of any employee residing in the same household as the employee, if the accident resulting in injury occurs while the victim . . . is . . . occupying a motor vehicle furnished by such employee’s employer, is the security for the payment of basic loss benefits covering such motor vehicle, or, if none, any other security applicable to such victim.”

Through a supplemental brief, Firemen’s Fund states its contention, page 2,

“ ... is that the motor vehicle being operated by the plaintiff in the case at bar was not furnished by John Baglier Buick and Cadillac in its capacity as an employer or to Robert Lowrey or any member of his family in his capacity as an employee or their capacity as members of the family of an employee. ”

The facts upon which the case is determined are as follows: the accident giving rise to this action occurred on January 1, 1981, when a Buick automobile, owned by John Baglier Buick and Cadillac, Inc., driven by plaintiff, Lori Lowrey, was involved in an accident with another vehicle. Firemen’s Fund had issued a policy to John Baglier Buick and Cadillac, Inc. providing no-fault basic loss benefits for losses arising out of the operation of the 1980 Buick Riviera automobile involved in this case. Robert Lowrey, the father of plaintiff, Lori Lowrey, was the General Manager of Baglier. Lori was bom on July 9, 1962, and was 17 years of age and living in the household of her father at the time of this occurrence. The father was provided a 1980 Buick Riviera by Baglier while Lori’s mother, Marlene Lowrey, was furnished a 1980 Buick Regal by Baglier. Marlene Lowrey owned a 1977 Buick Skyhawk insured by Allstate which had been deliv[612]*612ered to Baglier for replacement of a rear window. The work was sublet to an autobody shop and the Buick Skyhawk remained in the custody of Baglier from December 31, 1979, through January 2, 1980. On December 30, 1979, when Robert Lowrey, the Manager, delivered his wife’s 1977 Buick for repairs of a broken window, he took from stock an unassigned demonstrator four-door automobile for use of his daughter, Lori. Also, on December 31, 1979, when Robert Lowrey drove his 1980 Buick automobile to Baglier, David DeForrest, an employee of Baglier, notified Robert Lowrey he desired to use a four-door automobile. David DeForrest then drove his assigned 1980 automobile, which was the subject of a Firemen’s Fund policy, to the Robert Lowrey residence, leaving the automobile and drove the four-door 1980 automobile away. It was the automobile which had been assigned to David DeForrest by Baglier and with permission of the Manager, Robert Lowrey, left with Mrs. Lowrey that was involved in this accident. Allstate initially paid $362 upon the claim of Lori which they now demand from Firemen’s Fund.

By its supplemental brief, Firemen’s Fund contends that it is not advancing a position contrary to any of four cases cited by plaintiff and defendant, Allstate: Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company v. J. C. Penney Insurance Co., 8D. & C. 3d 265 (1978) is one of the four cases. It is a well-reasoned opinion reasonably close upon its facts. It came before the court on a petition for declaratory judgment. A Scout motor vehicle was in the name of the father’s corporate business. It was, however, on occasion, permitted by the father to be used for personal business by the injured plaintiffs mother. It was so used on the day of this accident. The mother was returning from a girl scout outing when she was involved in an accident [613]*613driving the International Scout owned by her husband’s family business causing injuries to her daughter who was a passenger. The parents also owned a Fiat automobile insured by Pennsylvania National Casualty Company and an Avanti in the father’s name alone, also insured by the J. C. Penney Insurance Company. A claim was presented to Pennsylvania National on the Fiat policy. Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company desired contribution of 50 percent under Section 204(a)(2). The J. C. Penney Insurance Company contended that Section 204(a)(1) required payment to be made under the policy of the Scout vehicle and there is no contribution owing. The court found in its favor. This case involved an interpretation of the word, “furnished” as contended by Firemen’s Fund in the instant case. It noted first that by the statute dealing with rules of interpretation[l Pa.C.S.A. 1903(a)]2 words and phrases are to be construed according to rules of grammar and according to their common and approved usage. The court then turned to the determination of the meaning of the word “furnish.” It noted that Black’s Law Dictionary defined it as “to supply or provide ... [t]o deliver whether gratuitously or otherwise . . . [t]o supply or provide in any way other than by sale.”3

[614]

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Bluebook (online)
24 Pa. D. & C.3d 608, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 385, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lowrey-v-allstate-insurance-pactcomplmercer-1983.