Roadhouse Bbq v. Certain Under. at Lloyds

909 So. 2d 619, 2005 WL 1027634
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 4, 2005
Docket2004-1697
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 909 So. 2d 619 (Roadhouse Bbq v. Certain Under. at Lloyds) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Roadhouse Bbq v. Certain Under. at Lloyds, 909 So. 2d 619, 2005 WL 1027634 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

909 So.2d 619 (2005)

ROADHOUSE BAR-B-QUE, INC.
v.
CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYDS, London, et al.

No. 2004-1697.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

May 4, 2005.

*620 Kevin L. Cole, James A. Prather, Mandeville, LA, for Defendant/Appellee, Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, London, Burns & Wilcox of La., Inc., and Cunningham Lindsey U.S., Inc.

William H. Parker III, James Huey Gibson, Allen & Gooch, Lafayette, LA, for Defendant/Appellee, Alexander & Bolton, Inc.

Keith Wayne Manuel, Marksville, LA, for Plaintiff/Appellant, Roadhouse Bar-B-Que, Inc.

Court composed of MICHAEL G. SULLIVAN, BILLY HOWARD EZELL, and J. DAVID PAINTER, Judges.

PAINTER, J.

Following a fire on its premises, Roadhouse Bar-B-Que, Inc. ("Roadhouse"), the insured restaurant, brought suit against Alexander & Bolton, Inc. ("Alexander & Bolton"), the insurance agent who placed the subject coverage, Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's, London ("Lloyd's"), the insurance company, Cunningham Lindsey, U.S., Inc. ("Cunningham Lindsey"), the insurance adjuster, and Burns & Wilcox of La., Inc. ("Burns & Wilcox"), the insurance broker. The trial court dismissed Alexander & Bolton, Inc. on an exception of peremption and further dismissed all claims of the Plaintiff against the other Defendants based on the Plaintiff's failure to amend its petition as previously ordered by the trial court. For the reasons that follow, we affirm the rulings of the trial court.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On September 10, 1999, Pat Beck, the president of Roadhouse, purchased lots fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) of Block F of the Tremont Addition to the Town of Tullos, physically located at the intersection of Highways 165 and 84, with all improvements and appurtenances, from Benjamin H. Givens. This property had been used by its previous owners to operate a restaurant and bar. Beck leased this property to Roadhouse with Kathlyn Hunt, the secretary/treasurer of Roadhouse, signing as lessee, for the purposes of operating a restaurant and bar.

On October 4, 1999, Beck requested an insurance quote from Nanette Harms of Alexander & Bolton. Apparently, Alexander & Bolton had placed insurance on the subject property for the previous owners with limits on the value of the building at $140,000.00 and limits on the contents at *621 $40,000.00. Beck was advised of the prior coverage and was provided with a quote from Burns & Wilcox of $2,850.75 on a new policy keeping the limits for the value of the building at $140,000.00 but raising the contents limit to $100,000.00, per Beck's request. On October 7, 1999, Beck requested that the insurance be put into effect on the subject premises. A policy bearing number CPS338111 was issued by Scotsdale Insurance Company and mailed to Roadhouse with a letter from Harms outlining the following coverage under the policy:

a. $140,000.00 on the building
b. $100,000.00 on the contents
c. $300,000.00 General Aggregate Liability Limits
d. $300,000.00 Products & Completed Operations Aggregate
e. $300,000.00 Personal & Advertising
f. $300,000.00 each occurrence
g. $ 10,000.00 food spoilage

No objection or other communication was made by Beck.

On September 21, 2000, Harms sent Beck another letter concerning the renewal of the policy which indicated the premium and asked Beck to sign a form indicating his intent to continue the coverage. On November 9, 2000, a policy bearing number 169845 issued by Lloyd's was mailed to Beck along with a third cover letter from Harms again outlining the above-listed coverage. This policy had the same coverage as the Scotsdale policy. Again, Beck made no objection or other communication to Harms or Alexander & Bolton concerning the coverage.

Then, on January 21, 2001, a fire occurred at Roadhouse. Hunt notified Alexander & Bolton of the fire the next day. On January 23, 2001, Jamie Vanderlick of Cunningham Lindsey U.S., Inc. ("Cunningham Lindsey") inspected the premises and determined that the only building damaged was the one housing the restaurant/bar and that the damage did not exceed $140,000.00.

On June 19, 2001, Lloyd's paid $53,547.63 to Givens, the additional insured/mortgagee, for the loss sustained in the fire. That same day, Beck signed a Receipt, Release, Hold Harmless Agreement and Acknowledgment of Assignment of Mortgage releasing Lloyds, Burns & Wilcox, Cunningham Lindsey, and other parties and all of their respective employees, agents, brokers, adjusters and attorneys from any and all liability and/or obligation whatsoever up to the amount of $53,547.63 and recognizing that said sum was being paid in full and complete satisfaction of all claims under the Building Coverage of Certificate No. 169845, up to $53,547.63.

On August 15, 2001, Beck, Hunt, and two others were indicted by a Grand Jury for simple arson and conspiracy to commit simple arson with respect to the fire that occurred on January 21, 2001 at the Roadhouse premises.

On January 15, 2002, Roadhouse filed suit against Alexander & Bolton, Lloyd's, Burns & Wilcox, and Cunningham Lindsey. Plaintiff alleged that Alexander & Bolton and Burns & Wilcox failed to place adequate coverage, that Cunningham Lindsey failed to properly adjust the claim, and that Lloyd's failed to pay all replacement costs of damages under the policy. Since the filing of the suit, the Defendants have filed numerous exceptions resulting in numerous amendments to the petition and one previous appeal to this court.[1] At issue in the current appeal are the peremptory exception and motion for summary *622 judgment filed on behalf of Alexander & Bolton and the motions to dismiss with prejudice filed on behalf of Lloyd's, Burns & Wilcox, and Cunningham Lindsey. Following a hearing on these matters, the trial court rendered judgments sustaining the peremptory exception on behalf of Alexander & Bolton and granting the motions to dismiss with prejudice on behalf of the other Defendants. Plaintiff appealed and asserted the following assignments of error:

1. The Honorable Trial Court Judge erred in releasing Alexander & Bolton, Inc., Burns & Wilcox of La., Inc., and Cunningham Lindsey U.S., Inc. on exceptions of no cause of action.
2. The Honorable Trial Court Judge erred in finding that res judicata applied to the partial settlement issued by Lloyd's, London, and thus granting the peremptory exception of res judicata.
3. The Honorable Trial Court Judge erred in granting the peremptory exception of peremption, finding that the peremptive period provided in La.R.S. 9:5606 commenced on the date of origination of the insurance policy. La.R.S. 9:5606, in essence, deals with the peremptive period for filing claims against agents.

For the reasons that follow, we affirm the rulings of the trial court.

DISCUSSION

1. Plaintiff's Claims Against Alexander & Bolton, Inc.

At the outset, we note that the Plaintiff asserts two assignments of error as to Alexander & Bolton. The first alleges that the trial court erred in releasing Alexander & Bolton on an exception of no cause of action.

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Bluebook (online)
909 So. 2d 619, 2005 WL 1027634, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/roadhouse-bbq-v-certain-under-at-lloyds-lactapp-2005.