Nat'l Am. Ins. Co. v. Abc Concrete Mfg. Co.

370 F. Supp. 3d 1291
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedFebruary 27, 2019
DocketCiv. No. 15-1169 KG/KBM
StatusPublished

This text of 370 F. Supp. 3d 1291 (Nat'l Am. Ins. Co. v. Abc Concrete Mfg. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nat'l Am. Ins. Co. v. Abc Concrete Mfg. Co., 370 F. Supp. 3d 1291 (D.N.M. 2019).

Opinion

KENNETH J. GONZALES, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

*1293This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff National American Insurance Company's (NAICO) Motion for Summary Judgment, filed December 19, 2017, seeking summary judgment on its claim for reformation of an insurance contract, and Defendant National Casualty Company's (NCC) Motion for Summary Judgment, filed January 16, 2018, seeking dismissal of NAICO's reformation claim and summary judgment on NCC's counterclaim for subrogation. (Docs. 68 and 74). NCC filed its response to NAICO's Motion on February 7, 2018, and its reply in support of its own Motion on March 7, 2018. (Docs. 80 and 90). NAICO filed its response to NCC's Motion on February 21, 2018, and its reply in support of its own Motion on March 7, 2018. (Docs. 82 and 88). Although served, Defendant Nicholas Montano (Montano) never appeared in this case. Defendants ABC Concrete Mfg. Co., Inc. (Concrete), and ABC Concrete Mfg. Co., Inc. d/b/a ABC Septic Systems, Inc., take no position on the motions. (Docs. 68 and 74). The Court has diversity jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332.

After considering the submissions and arguments of the parties, the record, and the applicable law, the Court denies NAICO's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 68) on its reformation claim and grants-in-part NCC's Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 74). NAICO's reformation claim fails and NCC is entitled to subrogation as explained below.

I. Procedural History

This declaratory judgment action arises out of the August 7, 2014, accident between Montano, who was driving a 2007 Freightliner tractor-trailer (VIN # 1FUJA6CKX7LW28215) owned by Concrete and leased to ABC Septic Systems, Inc. (Septic), and non-parties Alan and Nina Nelson (collectively, "the Nelsons"). (Doc. 5) at ¶¶ 14-15. The accident occurred in California. Id. Montano kept logs at the time of the accident under the Septic name because he was engaged in the for-hire transportation of property. The Nelsons filed suit against Septic and Montano in California on February 5, 2015 (Underlying Lawsuit). (Doc. 5) at ¶ 14.

Doug Murray (Murray), owner of Concrete and Septic, which he believed to be separate legal entities, contacted NCC, the insurance carrier for Septic, regarding the Underlying Lawsuit. NCC timely provided a defense to Septic and Montano.

On April 17, 2015, underlying defense counsel, retained by NCC, sent a tender of defense letter to NAICO demanding that NAICO defend and indemnify Septic in the Underlying Lawsuit. (Doc. 74) at ¶ 10; (Doc. 82) at 3. NAICO received that letter on April 20, 2015. (Doc. 74-1) at 18 (May 11, 2015 letter from NAICO to underlying defense counsel). NAICO rejected the tender of defense on May 11, 2015, on the basis that NAICO's policy was never intended to cover the Freightliner and NCC's policy was primary. Id. at 18-22.

Nevertheless, NAICO and NCC participated in a mediation of the Underlying *1294Lawsuit on January 6, 2015, and resolved that case for $ 850,000.00. (Doc. 74) at ¶ 49; (Doc. 82) at 3. Each insurer contributed fifty percent (50%) of the settlement monies. Each insurer reserved all rights vis-à-vis the settlement and any declaratory judgment action. Id.

NAICO filed its Amended Complaint for Declaratory Judgment, Equitable Indemnification, Subrogation and Reimbursement for Recovery of Damages on March 10, 2016. (Doc. 5). Count I seeks reformation of the insurance contract between NAICO and Concrete based on mutual mistake. Counts II and III seek complete equitable indemnification and subrogation, respectively, as well as reimbursement from NCC of the $ 425,000.00 that NAICO contributed to settle the Underlying Lawsuit.

NCC filed its Answer and Counterclaim on April 13, 2016. (Doc. 12). NCC seeks equitable contribution from NAICO of the cost of defense and property damage settlement in the Underlying Lawsuit. NCC also seeks the cost of defense and settlement arising from a July 8, 2014, accident (July 2014 Accident) that involved a tractor-trailer owned by Concrete, leased to Septic, and operated under the Septic name. Murray notified NCC of the July 2014 Accident. NCC timely defended Septic and settled the case. (Doc. 74) at ¶ 45; (Doc. 82) at 3. NAICO was not notified of the July 2014 Accident, however, until after the case settled. On January 3, 2018, NCC stipulated that it did not seek reimbursement for the physical damage payment made following the July 2014 Accident. (Doc. 70).

NAICO now moves for summary judgment on its reformation and reimbursement claims, while NCC moves for summary judgment on all of NAICO's claims and on NCC's equitable contribution counterclaim.

II. Standard of Review

Summary judgment is appropriate if there is no genuine dispute as to a material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). "When applying this standard, [the Court] view[s] the evidence and draw[s] reasonable inferences therefrom in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party." Scull v. New Mexico , 236 F.3d 588, 595 (10th Cir. 2000) (internal quotation marks omitted). The movant bears the initial burden of showing the absence of a genuine issue of material fact, then the burden shifts to the non-movant to provide evidence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 325, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986) ; Bacchus Indus., Inc. v. Arvin Indus., Inc. , 939 F.2d 887, 891 (10th Cir. 1991). A fact is "material" if, under the governing law, it could influence the outcome of the lawsuit, and "genuine" if a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-movant. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.

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Bluebook (online)
370 F. Supp. 3d 1291, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/natl-am-ins-co-v-abc-concrete-mfg-co-nmd-2019.