Olivero v. NJ Mfrs. Ins. Co.

547 A.2d 710, 227 N.J. Super. 367
CourtNew Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division
DecidedAugust 12, 1988
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 547 A.2d 710 (Olivero v. NJ Mfrs. Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Olivero v. NJ Mfrs. Ins. Co., 547 A.2d 710, 227 N.J. Super. 367 (N.J. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

227 N.J. Super. 367 (1988)
547 A.2d 710

TINA OLIVERO, BY HER PARENTS AND GUARDIAN AD LITEM, MARGARET OLIVERO, AND MARGARET OLIVERO, INDIVIDUALLY, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT,
v.
NEW JERSEY MANUFACTURERS INSURANCE COMPANY, DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT, AND LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, DEFENDANT.

Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.

Argued October 27, 1987.
Decided August 12, 1988.

*369 Before Judges DEIGHAN and LANDAU.

Darrell Fineman argued the cause for appellant (Capizola, Fineman & Kutner, P.A., attorneys; Barbara Lapham on the brief; Fineman on the reply letter brief).

J. Robert McGroarty argued the cause for respondent (McGroarty & Killen, P.C., attorneys; J. Robert McGroarty on the brief).

The opinion of the court was delivered by DEIGHAN, J.A.D.

On this appeal we are required to determine whether a claimant who has received temporary disability benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act, N.J.S.A. 34:15-1 et seq. for 340 weeks, is entitled to income continuation benefits under N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4 and 10 of the New Jersey Automobile Reparation Reform Act (No-Fault), N.J.S.A. 39:6A-1 et seq., after termination of the workers' compensation benefits. We hold that where temporary disability benefits under workers' compensation are paid in excess of income disability payments under No-Fault but the disability continues beyond the period of the workers' compensation benefits, a claimant is entitled to receive income continuation benefits under the No-Fault Act as long as *370 the disability persists up to the maximum income continuation benefits under the policy less a credit under N.J.S.A. 39:6A-6 for the workers' compensation benefits paid.

This is an action for a declaratory judgment by plaintiffs to determine personal injury protection benefits (PIP) coverage pursuant to the New Jersey Automobile Reparation Reform Act (No-Fault), N.J.S.A. 39:6A-1 et seq., under an automobile insurance policy issued by defendant New Jersey Manufacturer's Insurance Company (NJM) to plaintiff Margaret Olivero. On a previous appeal we reversed a dismissal of the complaint and remanded for a determination as to whether income continuation benefits were payable to Mrs. Olivero's daughter, Tina, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4 and 39:6A-10. Olivero v. New Jersey Manufacturers Ins. Co., 199 N.J. Super. 191 (1985). After remand, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint to reform the insurance policy to provide for income continuation benefits for as long as plaintiff's disability continued. See Clendaniel v. New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company, 96 N.J. 361 (1984). See also Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co. v. Carriere, 170 N.J. Super. 437 (Law Div. 1979).

Plaintiffs appeal from an order entered April 1, 1987[1] which granted defendant's motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiffs' complaint. The order also denied plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment to determine and adjudge that Tina Olivero is entitled to income continuation benefits under N.J.S.A. 39:6A-10 for as long as her disability exists and further to reconstruct her wage losses for impairment of earning capacity.

The basic facts underlying plaintiffs' claim are essentially undisputed. On April 21, 1981, plaintiff Tina, then 12 years of age, was seriously injured when she was struck by an automobile while riding her bicycle and delivering papers for the *371 Vineland Times Journal. As a result of head injuries, she suffered from neurological deficiencies with ambulation, coordination and speech dysfunction. Her learning ability and memory retention have also been seriously impaired. Extensive surgery, treatment and therapy, designed to minimize the effects of the injury, have continued over the years since the accident to the present time.

On May 11, 1981, a workers' compensation petition was filed by Tina. On July 16, 1981, Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., the workers' compensation carrier for Vineland Times Journal, was directed to "supply to the petitioner all reasonable and necessary medical care necessary for her to recover from her injuries suffered on April 21, 1981." Liberty Mutual was also directed to pay the minimum temporary disability payments of $53.07 per week (Tina earned $29 per week for six and one-half hours work). As of July 17, 1984, Liberty Mutual paid a total of $157,356.58 for medical benefits as well as temporary disability benefits under workers' compensation which continued after that date.

Tina has been treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on several occasions. Medical doctors at Children's Hospital recommended home therapy and physical therapy requiring private tutoring, remodeling of plaintiffs' home and physical therapy at a health spa.

She has also been admitted on numerous occasions to Children's Seashore House in Atlantic City for surgery and rehabilitative treatment. In June 1984, Tina had surgery to correct the spastic condition of her toes and foot. During July and August 1984 she was an in-house patient at Children's Seashore House and received occupational and speech-language therapy. The discharge summaries from Children's Seashore House state that physical, occupational and speech therapy are to be continued at home and at the Newcomb Hospital in Vineland.

Although Tina is still severely disabled and handicapped, she was able to graduate from high school in 1986. She is now 18 *372 years of age and is a freshman at Cumberland County College. Her marks range between "B's" and "C's" and, after graduation, she intends to transfer to a four-year college. Although it has been six years since the automobile accident, Tina remains under the care of a doctor and continues to be severely disabled.

At the time of the accident, Tina resided with her mother, Margaret Olivero. When Mrs. Olivero initially applied for an insurance policy from NJM, she requested option 5 for additional income continuation benefits up to $36,400. The policy, which was renewed from year to year, was issued in February 1977 with coverage under option 5 and was in effect on the date of the accident.

On August 12, 1987, the Workers' Compensation Judge entered an order approving settlement which awarded Tina 340 weeks temporary disability at $53.07 per week for a total of $18,424.63[2] plus total permanent disability of 450 weeks at $124.88 per week for a total of $56,196 less $4,192.53 paid for a balance of $52,003.47. Permanent disability payments were made retroactive to January 13, 1986, thus allowing Liberty Mutual a credit for all temporary disability benefits paid to Tina after that date with "[p]ermanent disability to continue beyond 450 wks., as allowed by statute." The 100% of total was based on neurologic, orthopedic and psychiatric permanent disability.

The order also required that:

Respondent [Liberty Mutual] shall continue to authorize all medical treatment presently provided petitioner, including without limitation, all physicians presently treating petitioner out of Childrens' Hosp. in Philadelphia, Pa., Leona Glovsky, a speech therapist in Vineland, N.J., and such further reasonable and necessary treatment as may be recommended by these physicians.

NJM acknowledges that under option 5 of the policy, Tina is entitled to the maximum income continuation benefits up to *373

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547 A.2d 710, 227 N.J. Super. 367, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/olivero-v-nj-mfrs-ins-co-njsuperctappdiv-1988.