Oahu Transit Services, Inc. v. Northfield Insurance Co.

112 P.3d 717, 107 Haw. 231, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 274
CourtHawaii Supreme Court
DecidedMay 31, 2005
Docket25704
StatusPublished
Cited by28 cases

This text of 112 P.3d 717 (Oahu Transit Services, Inc. v. Northfield Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Hawaii Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oahu Transit Services, Inc. v. Northfield Insurance Co., 112 P.3d 717, 107 Haw. 231, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 274 (haw 2005).

Opinion

Opinion of the Court by

DUFFY, J.

Plaintiff-appellant Oahu Transit Services, Inc. (OTS) and third-party defendant-appellant City and County of Honolulu [hereinafter, “the City”] appeal from the Circuit Court of the First Circuit’s March 18, 2003 first amended judgment. 1 As points of error, OTS and the City contend that the circuit court erred in issuing its March 28, 2002 order granting summary judgment in favor of defendant-appellee/third-party plaintiff-appellee Northfield Insurance Company (Northfield) and denying summary judgment in favor of OTS and the City.

The main issue on appeal is whether an automobile exclusion clause in a Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance policy (providing that no coverage exists for “ ‘[bjodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use or entrustment to others of any ... ‘auto’ ... owned or operated by or rented or loaned to *233 any insured”) applies so as to bar coverage in the instant case. We hold that the circuit court correctly concluded that this exclusion applies and that Northfield is not required to defend or indemnify OTS or the City.

I. BACKGROUND

A. The Parties

OTS operates transit services, including paratransit services, for the City. In addition to operating “TheBus” and “TheHandi-Van,” OTS contracted with private corporations to provide supplemental services. One such private corporation was Aloha State Cab, Inc. (Aloha State).

B. The Accident

On May 27, 2000, Aloha State was assigned the job of transporting Roy Muramoto to a dialysis appointment. While in transit to the appointment, Muramoto’s wheelchair tipped over and Muramoto was pinned in the corner of the van. The driver stopped the van and went to assist Muramoto; Muramoto was strapped into his wheelchair by a belt connected to the chair, and — according to the driver — Muramoto asked the driver to disconnect the belt because Muramoto was pinned in the corner and uncomfortable. The driver complied, but when the belt was released, Muramoto collapsed to the floor. Muramoto suffered a spinal cord injury and paralysis of his diaphragm as a result. The record suggests that most, if not all, of Mura-moto’s injuries occurred when Muramoto collapsed to the floor: the driver had indicated that, when Muramoto was pinned in the eor-ner prior to releasing the belt, Muramoto did not appear to be in distress.

C. The CGL Policy

At the time of the accident, Aloha State had a CGL policy with Northfield. This same CGL policy also listed OTS as an additional insured party. However, although OTS was listed as an additional insured, the CGL policy covered OTS “only with respect to liability arising out of [Aloha State’s] operations or premises owned by or rented to [Aloha State].” 2

The CGL policy provided that Northfield “will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ to which this insurance applies.” 3 The policy also contained the following exclusion, which is the focus of the instant case:

This insurance does not apply to:
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“Bodily injury” or “property damage” arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use or entrustment to others of any aircraft, “auto” or watercraft owned or operated by or rented or loaned to any insured. Use includes operation and “loading or unloading”.[ 4 ]

(This exclusion will hereinafter be referred to as “the CGL automobile exclusion.”)

D. Procedural History

On August 30, 2001, Muramoto filed his Second Amended Complaint against the City, OTS, and Aloha State. Muramoto’s Second Amended Complaint brought claims for relief based on negligence; respondeat superior; *234 agency; breach of duty owed by common carrier; the Americans with Disabilities Act; breach of duty to comply with federal and state law; negligent selection, supervision, and training; breach of express or implied warranty; and ratification.

OTS tendered its defense of Muramoto’s suit to Northfield pursuant to the terms of Aloha State’s CGL policy. Northfield denied coverage, stating that the CGL automobile exclusion applied (such that neither Aloha State nor OTS was entitled to coverage).

On October 5, 2001, OTS filed a declaratory judgment action against Northfield, seeking a declaration that the CGL policy provided OTS with coverage for Muramoto’s suit. On November 15, 2001, Northfield filed a counterclaim against OTS, a cross-claim against Aloha State, and a third-party complaint against the City, each of which sought a judicial declaration that Northfield was not obligated to defend or indemnify based on the CGL policy. The City then filed a counterclaim against Northfield. OTS filed a motion for summary judgment on December 28, 2001, arguing that Northfield had a duty to defend and indemnify OTS with respect to Muramoto’s lawsuit; the City joined this motion on February 15, 2002. Northfield filed a counter-motion for summary judgment on January 31, 2002.

On March 28, 2002, the circuit court granted Northfield’s motion for summary judgment and denied OTS’s motion (which had been joined by the City) for summary judgment. The circuit court entered final judgment in favor of Northfield, and OTS and the City filed timely notices of appeal. 5

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review the circuit court’s grant or denial of summary judgment de novo. Hawai'i Community Federal Credit Union v. Keka, 94 Hawai'i 213, 221, 11 P.3d 1, 9 (2000). The standard for granting a motion for summary judgment is settled:

[S]ummary judgment is appropriate if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. A fact is material if proof of that fact would have the effect of establishing or refuting one of the essential elements of a cause of action or defense asserted by the parties. The evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. In other words, we must view all of the evidence and the inferences drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion.
Id. (citations and internal quotation marks omitted).

Coon v. City & County of Honolulu, 98 Hawai'i 233, 244-45, 47 P.3d 348

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Bluebook (online)
112 P.3d 717, 107 Haw. 231, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 274, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oahu-transit-services-inc-v-northfield-insurance-co-haw-2005.