Nichols v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

927 N.W.2d 334
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedApril 15, 2019
DocketA18-1188
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 927 N.W.2d 334 (Nichols v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nichols v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 927 N.W.2d 334 (Mich. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

SLIETER, Judge

Appellant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm) challenges the denial of its motion to vacate respondent Sherria Nichols's no-fault arbitration award, arguing that the district court erred by concluding that Minn. Stat. § 62Q.75, subd. 3, did not bar respondent's no-fault claim. We affirm.

FACTS

On November 27, 2014, Nichols was injured in a motor-vehicle accident and transported to North Memorial Hospital (North Memorial), where she received treatment in the emergency department. At the time of the accident, Nichols was insured by a no-fault insurance policy with State Farm.

In January 2015, Nichols applied for no-fault benefits under the State Farm policy. Shortly thereafter, North Memorial submitted a $2,753.20 invoice to State Farm for Nichols's November emergency-room visit. State Farm paid the invoice.

From April 2015 through December 2015, Nichols received several additional treatments at North Memorial. The charges for these treatments were not submitted to State Farm. Instead, North Memorial submitted them to Nichols's health insurer, UCare. North Memorial submitted each charge to UCare within six months of treatment, and UCare paid each charge.

In July 2016, Nichols filed a petition for no-fault arbitration, seeking an award of $10,000 from State Farm for the health-care expenses incurred for her 2015 treatments.1 For reasons not germane to this appeal, Nichols filed a subsequent arbitration petition in February 2017 seeking an award for the same 2015 treatments.

*336Following a hearing, the arbitrator awarded Nichols $10,000 in economic-loss benefits for her medical expenses. State Farm filed a motion with the district court to vacate the arbitration award.

The district court denied the motion, concluding that Minn. Stat. § 62Q.75, subd. 3, unambiguously requires a health-care provider to submit its charges to a health-plan company within six months of treatment. Because, the district court ruled, North Memorial submitted its charges to UCare within six months, North Memorial complied with the statute. The district court affirmed the arbitrator's decision and this appeal follows.

ISSUE

Did the district court err in concluding that the insured was entitled to economic-loss benefits because her medical provider complied with the requirements of Minn. Stat. § 62Q.75, subd. 3 ?

ANALYSIS

State Farm argues that the district court erred by declining to vacate Nichols's no-fault arbitration award. A no-fault arbitrator has the authority to decide questions of fact; courts interpret the law. Weaver v. State Farm Ins. Cos. , 609 N.W.2d 878, 882 (Minn. 2000). Appellate courts review de novo the "arbitrator's legal determinations necessary to granting relief." Id. A dispute over no-fault coverage also presents a question of law this court reviews de novo . W. Nat'l. Ins. Co. v. Thompson , 797 N.W.2d 201, 205 (Minn. 2011).

Minnesota's No-Fault Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 65B.41 -.71 (2018), requires no-fault insurers to provide benefits for "[b]asic economic loss" from injuries "arising out of the maintenance or use of a motor vehicle." Minn. Stat. § 65B.44, subd. 1(a). These economic-loss benefits, which include medical expenses, are payable as loss accrues. Minn. Stat. § 65B.54, subd. 1. "Loss" accrues when medical expenses are incurred. Id. Medical expenses are "incur[red]" as an injured person "receives bills for medical treatment." Stout v. AMCO Ins. Co. , 645 N.W.2d 108, 113 (Minn. 2002).

State Farm argues that Minn. Stat. § 62Q.75, subd. 3 ( subdivision 3 ), bars Nichols's no-fault claim because the statute requires North Memorial to submit its charges to State Farm within six months and North Memorial failed to do so. Nichols contends that the statute unambiguously requires North Memorial to submit its charges to an insurer within six months and that by submitting its charges to UCare within six months, North Memorial complied with the statute. To reach our decision, we must interpret the statutory language in subdivision 3.

"When interpreting statutes, our function is to ascertain and effectuate the intention of the legislature." Anker v. Little , 541 N.W.2d 333, 336 (Minn. App. 1995), review denied (Minn. Feb. 9, 1996). "[W]e first look to see whether the statute's language, on its face, is clear or ambiguous." Am. Family Ins. Grp. v. Schroedl , 616 N.W.2d 273, 277 (Minn. 2000). "A statute is only ambiguous when the language therein is subject to more than one reasonable interpretation." Id. (quotation omitted).

"If the statute is free from ambiguity, we look only at its plain language." Anker , 541 N.W.2d at 336. "[I]n the absence of ambiguity, [this court] will not disregard the letter of the law in the pursuit of its purpose." State v. Hicks , 583 N.W.2d 757, 759 (Minn. App. 1998), review denied (Minn. Oct. 20, 1998). "A statute should be interpreted, whenever possible, to give effect to all of its provisions; no word, phrase, or sentence should be *337deemed superfluous, void, or insignificant." Schroedl , 616 N.W.2d at 277 (quotation omitted). But "if the statute's literal meaning leads to an absurd result ... we may look beyond the language and examine other indicia of legislative intent." Anker , 541 N.W.2d at 336.

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927 N.W.2d 334, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nichols-v-state-farm-mut-auto-ins-co-minnctapp-2019.