Robson v. Quentin E. Cadd Agency

901 N.E.2d 835, 179 Ohio App. 3d 298, 2008 Ohio 5909
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 10, 2008
DocketNo. 07CA26.
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 901 N.E.2d 835 (Robson v. Quentin E. Cadd Agency) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robson v. Quentin E. Cadd Agency, 901 N.E.2d 835, 179 Ohio App. 3d 298, 2008 Ohio 5909 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008).

Opinions

Harsha, Judge.

{¶ 1} Walter Robson and Debi Oliver 1 appeal the trial court’s decision entering summary judgment in favor of the Quentin E. Cadd Agency on their negligent- *301 procurement claim. They contend that genuine issues of material fact remain regarding whether Cadd breached its duty to provide the uninsured-/underinsured-motorists (“UM/UIM”) coverage that Oliver allegedly requested. Oliver stated that she requested a policy with “full coverage,” which she assumed would include UM/UIM coverage. However, Cadd’s agent stated that Oliver requested her to remove UM/UIM coverage from the policy. This is a factual dispute that precludes summary judgment. Moreover, Oliver’s failure to read the policy does not preclude her claim. Instead, her failure to read the policy is a matter of comparative negligence that is reserved to the factfinder. Accordingly, the trial court erroneously entered judgment in Cadd’s favor.

{¶ 2} However, because Robson cannot demonstrate that Cadd owed him any duty to obtain UM/UIM coverage, the trial court appropriately entered summary judgment in Cadd’s favor as it relates to his negligent-procurement claim. Therefore, we sustain the sole assignment of error as it relates to Oliver but overrule it as it relates to Robson. We reverse the trial court’s judgment in part and affirm it in part, and we remand this matter for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

I. FACTS

{¶ 3} In April 2002, Oliver contacted Cadd to inquire about obtaining a commercial automobile insurance policy for a dump truck. Oliver informed Cadd’s agent, Charlotte Cox, that she wanted a “full coverage” policy. Cox subsequently provided Oliver with a quote for insurance that included UM/UIM coverage. According to Cox, Oliver stated that the quote was higher than she desired and requested Cox to issue a policy without UM/UIM coverage. Oliver denies Cox’s claim that she advised Cox to remove UM/UIM coverage. In any event, the parties do not dispute that Cadd subsequently procured an insurance policy that clearly stated on the declarations page that UM/UIM coverage was “rejected” and that Oliver never read the declarations page. It also is undisputed that the insurance policy contained an unsigned UM/UIM rejection form.

{¶ 4} Approximately two years after the policy was issued, Oliver’s employee, Robson, sustained injuries in an automobile accident involving the dump truck. Oliver and Robson eventually settled their claim against the tortfeasor and then sought UM/UIM coverage under the policy Cadd had procured through Progressive Preferred Insurance Company. Progressive denied the claim. Oliver and Robson then filed a complaint against Cadd and Progressive. They alleged that Cadd negligently failed to procure an insurance policy that contained UM/UIM *302 coverage. They further sought a declaratory judgment that they are insureds under the Progressive policy. Oliver and Robson subsequently dismissed their claim against Progressive.

{¶ 5} Later, Cadd filed a motion for summary judgment. Cadd asserted several grounds to support its motion: (1) Ohio law no longer requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage and, thus, Robson and Oliver’s claim fails as a matter of law; (2) any claim for negligent misrepresentation is time-barred, and Oliver cannot establish one of the elements of a negligent misrepresentation claim, justifiable reliance, because she failed to read the policy; (3) any claim for negligent procurement fails because Oliver did not read the policy; and (4) Robson and Oliver cannot prove that the absence of UM/UIM coverage proximately caused any alleged losses because Robson was not an “insured” under the policy.

{¶ 6} Robson and Oliver responded that genuine issues of material fact remain regarding their negligent-procurement claim. They asserted that Oliver’s account of her discussions with Cox conflicted with Cox’s account and that this dispute precluded summary judgment. Robson and Oliver disputed Cadd’s assertion that Oliver’s failure to read the policy precluded their claim. They further argued that the absence of UM/UIM coverage proximately caused their loss because Robson fits the definition of an “insured” under the UM/UIM policy provisions.

{¶ 7} The trial court subsequently granted Cadd summary judgment, without explanation. The court’s decision reads, in its entirety, as follows: “Upon motion and for good cause shown, the Court grants the motion of the Quentin E. Cadd agency for summary judgment and dismisses all claims of the plaintiffs. The Court finds there is no just cause for delay.”

II. ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

{¶ 8} Robson and Oliver raise one assignment of error:

The trial court committed reversible error in granting summary judgment in favor of Defendant-Appellee Quentin E. Cadd Insurance Agency when the record presents genuine issues of material fact sufficient to preclude summary judgment and require jury resolution.

III. DISCUSSION

{¶ 9} In their sole assignment of error, Robson and Oliver assert that the trial court erred by granting Cadd summary judgment. First, they complain that the trial court failed to issue a sufficient rationale for its decision, which they contend permits us to remand the court’s judgment for clarification. Second, they argue *303 that genuine issues of material fact remain regarding Cadd’s negligence in procuring the UM/UIM coverage that Oliver allegedly requested. Third, they assert that they timely filed their complaint. Fourth, they contend that Robson was an insured under the UM/UIM policy provisions.

{¶ 10} Cadd argues that Robson and Oliver asserted a claim for negligent misrepresentation, not negligent procurement, and that the allegedly disputed facts are not material to a negligent-misrepresentation claim. Cadd further contends that the statute of limitations bars the negligent-misrepresentation claim. Cadd also argues that a negligent-procurement claim fails, because Cadd did not breach its duty and because Oliver’s failure to read the policy proximately caused the loss.

A. SUMMARY-JUDGMENT STANDARD

{¶ 11} In reviewing a summary judgment, the lower court and the appellate court use the same standard, i.e., we review the judgment independently and without deference to the trial court’s determination. Doe v. Shaffer (2000), 90 Ohio St.3d 388, 390, 738 N.E.2d 1243. A summary judgment is appropriate only when (1) there is no genuine issue of material fact; (2) reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion when viewing the evidence in favor of the nonmoving party, and that conclusion is adverse to the nonmoving party; and (3) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id.; Bostic v. Connor (1988), 37 Ohio St.3d 144, 146, 524 N.E.2d 881; Civ. R. 56(C).

B. TRIAL COURT’S JUDGMENT ENTRY

{¶ 12} Robson and Oliver first assert that we should remand the trial court’s summary-judgment decision because the court failed to offer any explanation for its decision. Their argument is meritless.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
901 N.E.2d 835, 179 Ohio App. 3d 298, 2008 Ohio 5909, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robson-v-quentin-e-cadd-agency-ohioctapp-2008.