McCartney v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co.

255 So. 3d 1060
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 10, 2018
DocketNO. 2017 CA 1398
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 255 So. 3d 1060 (McCartney v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCartney v. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co., 255 So. 3d 1060 (La. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

CRAIN, J.

*1061The plaintiffs appeal a summary judgment dismissing their claims against their insurer based upon a breach of the terms and conditions of the policy. We reverse.

FACTS

After their home was destroyed by a fire on June 24, 2016, Jesse and Dena McCartney made a claim under their homeowner's policy issued by Shelter Mutual Insurance Company. The policy required that the insured cooperate with the insurer in any matter relating to a claim, answer under oath any questions posed by the insurer, then sign a written transcript of the questions and answers. The policy further required that the insured submit a proof of loss, submit to examinations under oath, produce records reasonably required by the insurer, and authorize the insurer to obtain records and documentation relevant to the claim. Payment under the policy was contingent upon receipt by the insurer of proof of loss and the insured's compliance with the policy conditions. The McCartneys filed suit seeking recovery under the policy, plus penalties and attorney's fees for Shelter's refusal to tender any payments.

Shelter filed a motion for summary judgment seeking dismissal of the suit. Shelter claims the McCartneys violated the terms and conditions of the policy by failing to provide requested information and refusing to submit to an examination under oath. The McCartneys opposed the motion, asserting there is no evidence they failed to cooperate with Shelter's investigation. The McCartneys claim they submitted extensive documentation and provided Shelter with two recorded statements. Further, they claim they only postponed, but did not refuse, the examination under oath. They also point out Shelter's request for examination under oath was made more than sixty days after the McCartneys submitted their proof of loss and past the time when Shelter was required to make either payment or a written settlement offer under the policy.

The trial court granted Shelter's motion for summary judgment, finding the McCartneys' failure to submit to an examination under oath voided the policy. The McCartneys appeal.

DISCUSSION

After an opportunity for adequate discovery, a summary judgment shall be granted if the motion, memorandum, and supporting documents show no genuine issue as to material fact and the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. La. Code Civ. Pro. art. 966A(3). The summary judgment procedure is favored and shall be construed to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action. La. Code Civ. Pro. art. 966A(2). In determining whether summary judgment is appropriate, appellate courts review evidence de novo under the same criteria governing the trial court's determination of whether summary judgment is appropriate. In re Succession of Beard, 13-1717 (La. App. 1 Cir. 6/6/14), 147 So.3d 753, 759-60.

The burden of proof rests with the mover. Nevertheless, if the mover will not bear the burden of proof at trial on the issue before the court on the motion for summary judgment, the mover's burden does not require that all essential elements of the adverse party's claim, action, or defense be negated, but only that it point out *1062the absence of factual support for one or more elements essential to the adverse party's claim, action, or defense. The burden then shifts to the adverse party to produce factual support sufficient to establish the existence of a genuine issue of material fact or that the mover is not entitled to judgment as a matter of law. La. Code Civ. Pro. art. 966D(1). Factual inferences reasonably drawn from the evidence must be construed in favor of the party opposing a motion for summary judgment, and all doubt must be resolved in the opponent's favor. Willis v. Medders, 00-2507 (La. 12/8/00), 775 So.2d 1049, 1050 (per curiam ).

A fact is material if it potentially insures or precludes recovery, affects a litigant's ultimate success, or determines the outcome of the legal dispute. Hines v. Garrett, 04-0806 (La. 6/25/04), 876 So.2d 764, 765 (per curiam ); Smith v. Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Inc., 93-2512 (La. 7/5/94), 639 So.2d 730, 751. A genuine issue is one upon which reasonable persons can disagree; if reasonable persons can only reach one conclusion, that issue need not be tried and summary judgment is appropriate. Hines, 876 So.2d at 765-66 ; Smith, 639 So.2d at 751. The applicable substantive law determines materiality. Therefore, whether a fact in dispute is material must be viewed in light of the applicable substantive law. Bryant v. Premium Food Concepts, Inc., 16-0770 (La. App. 1 Cir. 4/26/17), 220 So.3d 79, 82, writ denied, 17-0873 (La. 9/29/17), 227 So.3d 288.

A cooperation clause protects the insurer against fraud by enabling it to obtain relevant information concerning the claimed loss while the information is fresh.1 See Johnson v. Geovera Spec. Ins. Co., 657 Fed. Appx. 301, 304 (5th Cir. 2016) (per curiam ) (applying Louisiana law to determine whether coverage was voided for violating a cooperation clause). Violating a cooperation clause has been held to be both a material breach of the insurance contract and a defense to a suit on the policy. See Lee, 607 So.2d at 688. The failure to submit to an examination under oath or the refusal to produce documentation can constitute such a violation. See Id ; Hamilton v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Ins. Co., 477 Fed. Appx. 162, 165 (5th Cir. 2012) (per curiam ).

However, a cooperation clause is not an escape hatch for the insurer to flee liability for trivial policy violations, and dismissing a suit for breach of a cooperation clause is a draconian remedy. See Beasley v. GeoVera Specialty Ins. Co., 13-395, 2015 WL 2372328, p.3 (E.D.La. 2015) ; Jackson v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 06-7202, 2010 WL 724108, p.8 (E.D.La. 2010) ; see also Lee, 607 So.2d at 685.

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Bluebook (online)
255 So. 3d 1060, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccartney-v-shelter-mut-ins-co-lactapp-2018.