Mears v. Safeco Insurance

888 F. Supp. 2d 1048, 2012 WL 3744758, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123311
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedAugust 29, 2012
DocketNo. CV 11-40-H-DWM
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 888 F. Supp. 2d 1048 (Mears v. Safeco Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mears v. Safeco Insurance, 888 F. Supp. 2d 1048, 2012 WL 3744758, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123311 (D. Mont. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

DONALD W. MOLLOY, District Judge.

Plaintiff Robert Mears filed a claim for policy benefits with his insurer, Defendant Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois (“Safeco”), after being hit by a car while crossing the street. He eventually accepted a settlement offer of $21,015.58 in exchange for his agreement to “release [Safeco] from liability under the policy.” The oral agreement was reached over the phone in a recorded conversation. Mears subsequently signed off on a check from Safeco that included the notation, “FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT OF ALL CLAIMS.”

Eight months later, Mears learned from his doctor that he had severe stenosis and disc herniation in his back, a condition that required surgery and other treatment costing at least $150,000. He now claims these back problems are related to the 2008 accident, and he seeks to set aside the telephonic release. The only relief he wants at this time is a declaratory judgment.

[1052]*1052There are currently six pending motions in the ease: the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment and Defendant’s motions to reopen the summary judgment briefing, to compel discovery responses, for leave to file discovery responses, and to exclude certain evidence from trial. The motions are denied and granted as set forth below.

Statement of Facts

On September 18, 2008, Plaintiff Robert Mears was crossing the street outside the crosswalk when he was hit by a car driven by a high school student, Devin James Awbery. He was hospitalized and treated for fractures of his right sacrum and right superior and inferior pubic rami (pelvic injuries) and the right transverse process of his L-5 vertebra. He also suffered a bone bruise on his left leg, a sprained wrist, and broken teeth. (Claims File, doc. 13-4 at 1,10.)

At the time, Mears was insured with Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois (“Safeco”). His policy included medical payments coverage in the amount of $1,000.00 and underinsured motorist coverage in the amount of $300,000.00. (Aff. Vern Schneider, doe. 20-2, 5.) Awbery’s vehicle was insured by AIG. (Id. at 14.)

Mears first contacted Safeco regarding the accident on April 26, 2009. (Id. at 7.) His claim was assigned to two adjusters. Either Kimmee Patawaran (id. at 8) or Michelle Galloway (Plaintiffs SUF, doc. 13 at 11; Letter to Mears from Michelle Galloway, doc. 26-18) was assigned to handle Mears’s claim for medical payments coverage. Vern Schneider was assigned to handle the claim for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. (Aff. Schneider, 8-9.)

Schneider and Mears first talked on May 18, 2009. Schneider then took Mears’s recorded statement on May 20 or 21. (Defendant’s SUF, doc. 26 at 6 n. 1.) Among other things, Mears explained that he had last sought medical treatment for his injuries in December of 2008, that his back “gets stiff every once in a while,” and that he had not received treatment for that. (Recorded Statement of Robert Mears, doc. 26-17 at 25, 17.) Schneider also learned that Mears had not yet filed a claim with AIG, Awbery’s insurer. Schneider contacted AIG to initiate the process and began his own investigation of the accident. (Aff. Schneider, 14-15.)

On July 18, 2009, Mears sent a hospital bill to Michelle Galloway at Safeco. He stated that its balance was outstanding and he had been “paying on it as I can afford.” (Claims File, doc. 13^4 at 7.) The statement indicated that the total medical bill was $6,849.45, that insurance paid $4,512.09, that Mears had paid $397.36, and that Mears still owed $1,850.00. (Id. at 6.)

Ten days later, Safeco paid Mears the $1,000 limit available under his medical payments coverage. A letter accompanying the check stated:

The policy limits of your Medical coverage are $1,000.00. We issued a payment to you in the amount of $1,000.00 on July 28, 2009. With that payment, your limits for this coverage were exhausted. Under the terms of your current policy, we are unable to make any additional payments. Bills for additional medical expenses will need to be submitted to your health insurance carrier. Please send them a copy of this letter.

(Doc. 26-18.) The payment was to reimburse him for medical expenses that his health insurance had not covered. (Claims File, doc. 13-4 at 11.)

On September 17, 2009, Mears settled his claim with AIG for the $25,000 limit of liability under that policy. (Aff. Schneider, 17.) He believes that he signed a Release of All Claims, but insists that he did not understand he was releasing the Awberys [1053]*1053from further liability for the accident. (Transcr. Depo. Mears 127:20-128:11.)

Mears’s underinsured motorist claim with Safeco was still pending when he reached the deal with AIG. Schneider valued the underinsured claim as having a settlement value, before any deductions for other insurance payments and comparative liability, of $37,500 to $47,500. (Bodily Injury Evaluation, doc. 26-16.) After deducting $25,000 for the AIG payment and 30% to 70% for comparative fault, he estimated a settlement range of $4,307.94 to $20,551.62.1 (Id.) He noted that Mears’s medical bills since the accident totaled $6,859.45, that Mears had not received any medical treatment since December 2008, and that “probable dental repair work remains outstanding.” (Id.) He also noted that Mears had not yet provided documentation of his medical bills or lost wages. (Id.)

Mears and Schneider spoke on December 8, 2009, and Mears expressed interest in settling his claim. Schneider declined to make a settlement offer at that time, stating he first need documentation of Mears’s alleged lost wages and additional medical bills and the settlement release with AIG. (Aff. Schneider, 19-20; Claims File, doc. 13-4 at 12.) Mears emailed his medical bills and an Earnings Statement to Schneider on January 3, 2010. (Claims File, doc. 13-4 at 8.) Later, he admitted in his deposition that he had not incurred any wage loss as a result of the accident. Depo. Mears, doc. 26-1 at 31.

Schneider left Mears a message to contact him on February 5, 2010, and called again on February 8, 2010. Some of the conversation was recorded, and the transcription is copied in full below:

VS: Okay. Uh, this is Vern Schneider. And today’s date is February 8, 2010. And the time is 1:40 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. This is in regard to the settlement of an underinsured motorist claim presented by Robert Mears. The prince, the company name is Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois. Okay. The underinsured motorist coverage section ... First of all, excuse me. Uh, Robert, do you understand that this conversation is being recorded?
RM: Yes.
VS: And is it with your permission?
RM: Yes.
VS: And would you state your name please?
RM: Robert L. Mears.
VS: Okay. According to our records, uh, the date of the accident was September 18, 2008, is that correct?
RM: That is correct.
VS: Okay. The underinsured, insured motorist coverage section of you policy obligates Safeco Insurance Company of Illinois, to pay for injuries you received in an automobile accident if an underinsured automobile driver is legally liable for them.

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888 F. Supp. 2d 1048, 2012 WL 3744758, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123311, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mears-v-safeco-insurance-mtd-2012.