Pittman v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co.

868 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 2012 WL 2368541, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85679
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Alabama
DecidedJune 21, 2012
DocketCase No. 1:11-cv-202-MEF
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 868 F. Supp. 2d 1335 (Pittman v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pittman v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 868 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 2012 WL 2368541, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85679 (M.D. Ala. 2012).

Opinion

Memorandum Opinion and Order

MARK E. FULLER, District Judge.

I. Introduction

Despite experiencing extreme financial difficulty at the time, Todd and Rhonda [1337]*1337Pittman — the plaintiffs in this case — went on a European vacation in the summer of 2010. They returned stateside to a burglarized home; their art collection was missing as were two pieces of expensive jewelry. Seeking recompense, they filed a claim with State Farm, their insurer. Rather than cutting a check immediately, State Farm decided to take a closer look at the Pittmans’ claim after the police expressed skepticism about the alleged burglary. The ensuing investigation revealed a number of anomalies, and although the Pittmans partially cooperated, they admittedly failed to provide State Farm with the banking and credit card information it requested to help with its investigation. The Pittmans ended up filing suit and State Farm concluded that it should deny the couple’s claims. Now the insurer has moved for summary judgment, arguing that the Pittmans’ failure to discharge their post-loss duties vitiates their claims. The Court agrees, and for the reasons discussed below, summary judgment is due to be GRANTED in State Farm’s favor.

II. Jurisdiction & Venue

The Court has jurisdiction over this case under the diversity statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1332(a), because the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000 and the parties hail from different states. The parties do not contest personal jurisdiction or venue, and the Court finds adequate allegations to support both.

III. Summary Judgment Standard

A motion for summary judgment looks to “pierce the pleadings and to assess the proof in order to see whether there is a genuine need for trial.” Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). A court should grant summary judgment when the pleadings and supporting materials show that no genuine issue exists as to any material fact and that the moving party deserves judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). The party moving for summary judgment “always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying” the relevant documents that “it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). To shoulder this burden, the moving party can present evidence to this effect. Id. at 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548. Or it can show that the nonmoving party has failed to present evidence in support of some element of its case on which it ultimately bears the burden of proof. Id.

If the moving party meets its burden, the non-movant must then designate, by affidavits, depositions, admissions, and answers to interrogatories, specific facts showing the existence of a genuine issue for trial. Jeffery v. Sarasota White Sox, Inc., 64 F.3d 590, 593-94 (11th Cir.1995). And a genuine issue of material fact exists when the nonmoving party produces evidence that would allow a reasonable fact-finder to return a verdict in his or her favor. Waddell v. Valley Forge Dental Assocs., 276 F.3d 1275, 1279 (11th Cir. 2001). Thus, summary judgment requires the nonmoving party to “do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts.” Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348. Indeed, a plaintiff must present evidence demonstrating that he can establish the basic elements of his claim, Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, because “conclusory allegations without specific supporting facts have no probative value” at the summary judgment stage. Evers v. Gen. Motors Corp., 770 F.2d 984, 986 (11th Cir.1985).

[1338]*1338A court ruling on a motion for summary judgment must believe the non-movant’s evidence. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 255, 106 S.Ct. 2505. It also must draw all justifiable inferences from the evidence in the nonmoving party’s favor. Id. After the nonmoving party has responded to the motion, the court must grant summary judgment if there exists no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party deserves judgment as a matter of law. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c).

IV. The Relevant Facts1

A. Background

Todd and Rhonda Pittman have been married for 16 years. (T. Pittman Dep. 20.) Todd worked as the self-employed owner of two Florida companies — Land Ventures for Two, L.L.C., and Land Management, L.L.C. (Id. at 81-82.) Rhonda kept the home. '(R. Pittman Dep. 27-28.) In May of 2006, the Pittmans bought and moved into a new house in Daleville, Alabama. (T. Pittman Dep. 151.)

To safeguard their purchase, they bought an alarm system through ADT. (T. Pittman Dep. 164-65.) The system included a siren, sensors on each outside door, and a motion detector in the living room. (Id. at 166.) The only entry points to the house were the front door, a back door off the dining room, a back door off the master bedroom, and a door inside the garage. (Id. at 161.) The outside doors had working deadbolts and a keyless entry lock. (T. Pittman Dep. 161-62; R. Pittman Dep. 70.) Moreover, only members of the Pittman family had keys to the house and knowledge of the ADT alarm codes. (T. Pittman Dep. 172; R. Pittman Dep. 72, 76.)

The Pittmans had good cause to keep such tight security. The couple collected art avidly, keeping many of their favorite works in their Daleville home. (T. Pittman Dep. Ex. 15.) In addition to the artwork, the Pittmans also owned two pieces of rather expensive jewelry. The first was a 5.5 carat loose diamond that Todd bought in 2006. (Id. at Exs. 15, 18, 19.) The second was a 11.97 carat diamond bracelet purchased in 2008. (Id.)

B. The insurance policies

1. The homeowner’s policy

State Farm insured the Pittmans’ Dale-ville residence under a policy purchased by the couple when they bought their home. In 2007, Todd Pittman visited the office of State Farm agent Melanie Garner to ask her some questions about the insurance covering the Pittmans’ artwork. (Craig Dep. 109-10.) After Mr. Pittman gave Garner a value for the artwork, the two discussed coverage options and eventually decided to increase the limits of the homeowner’s policy held by the Pittmans. (Nix Aff. Ex.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
868 F. Supp. 2d 1335, 2012 WL 2368541, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85679, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pittman-v-state-farm-fire-casualty-co-almd-2012.