Salomon v. Cincinnati Insurance

954 F. Supp. 2d 828, 2013 WL 3155405, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86708
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Indiana
DecidedJune 20, 2013
DocketNo. 2:10-CV-372-APR
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 954 F. Supp. 2d 828 (Salomon v. Cincinnati Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Salomon v. Cincinnati Insurance, 954 F. Supp. 2d 828, 2013 WL 3155405, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86708 (N.D. Ind. 2013).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

ANDREW P. RODOVICH, United States Magistrate Judge.

This matter is before the court on the Motion for Summary Judgment [DE 44] filed by the plaintiffs, Annette Salomon and Edward Salomon, on January 31, 2013, the Motion for Summary Judgment [DE 47] filed by the defendant, Cincinnati Insurance Company, on January 31, 2013, and the Motion to Strike [DE 50] filed by the plaintiffs on February 27, 2013. For the following reasons, the Motion for Summary Judgment [DE 44] filed by the plaintiffs is DENIED; the Motion for Summary Judgment [DE 47] filed by Cincinnati Insurance is GRANTED; and the Motion to Strike [DE 50] is DENIED.

Background

The plaintiffs, Edward and Annette Salomon, owned the real estate located at 811 East Lake Front Drive, Beverly Shores, Indiana. The Salomons hired Mark Scott Construction, LLC, (MSC) to demolish the house on the property and to build a new house and retaining wall. They also hired architect Mark VonDerHeide to design their new home. VonDerHeide hired Soils and Structures, Inc. to perform engineering work on the property.

A large sand dune was located on the Salomon’s property. To hold the sand dune in place, VonDerHeide and Soils and Structures designed a retaining wall to sit behind the house and wrap around the sides of the house. The wall directly behind the house was designed to be 25 feet tall and was labeled on the engineering and architectural plans as a “Type B” wall. The plans called for shorter walls on the [831]*831sides of the house and were described in the plans as “Type A” walls.

Soil & Structures provided VonDer-Heide with their engineering drawings for the Type A and Type B walls. The drawings called for the Type B retaining wall to be constructed in terraced segments of three feet of rise to three feet of run. The face of each terraced segment included almost vertical 6x6 timbers cemented into the ground. The engineering plans also called for the Type B wall to be anchored to the ground by Manta Ray Anchors.

VonDerHeide’s architectural plans for the Type B wall modified the engineering plan. His plan allowed for five feet of rise to two feet of run. The steeper walls designed ‘ by VonDerHeide would have been required to hold a greater load of lateral pressure than the wall designed by Soil & Structures.

When constructing the retaining walls, MSC used a design different from either that provided by VanDerHeide or Soil & Structures. Specifically, MSC did not use either the cemented vertical timbers or the Manta Ray Anchors called for in the designs. Instead, MSC used a system of crisscrossing timbers behind the retaining wall as a means of anchoring the wall. Mark Scott, the president of MSC, stated that he used this anchoring system rather than the one called for in the design because he believed it was in the best interest of the project after considering the sand dune, the trees, the neighbors, and the costs. Scott had used this design in the past and had found it in a book. He did not discuss using the crisscross timber anchoring system with the Salomons or VonDerHeide prior to incorporating it into the timber retaining wall.

MSC used 6x6 timbers, concrete, and spikes to construct the timber retaining wall. None of the materials that went into the construction of the wall were defective, and the wall was built according to Scott’s intended plan. After the timber retaining wall was completed, MSC built a temporary wall of plywood and timber between the timber retaining wall and the area where the house would sit. Scott admitted that the temporary wall was based on his own personal design.

After the permanent and temporary retaining walls were completed, a subcontractor hired by MSC began excavation work for the foundation of the home. On September 29, 2009, while the excavation work was in progress, the retaining wall shifted and bowed. The parties agree that the subcontractor performed its work according to the design'.

At the time the retaining wall shifted and bowed, MSC had an insurance policy in place with the defendant, Cincinnati Insurance. The policy was comprised of three parts, including the “Builders’ Risk Inland Marine Coverage Part”, the “Installation Floater Special Coverage Part”, and the “Commercial General Liability Coverage Part”. The Salomons were listed as additional insureds under the Builders’ Risk Coverage Form and Installation Floater Special Coverage. The Salomons requested that Cincinnati Insurance reimburse them for their costs and damages incurred in the repair and replacement of the retaining wall. Cincinnati denied their request.

The Salomons then filed suit against Scott, seeking damages for the repair of the retaining wall. Scott tendered the lawsuit to Cincinnati seeking a defense and indemnity under the CGL Policy. Cincinnati refused to provide Scott’s defense and to reimburse him for the cost of repairing the retaining wall. The Salomons and Scott entered into a Settlement and Assignment Agreement. The Salomons’ claims against Scott were settled for [832]*832$259,000, and the payment obligation of Scott to the Salomons was satisfied by the assignment of his rights, claims, and entitlements for defense and indemnity under the CGL Policy to the Salomons. The Salomons filed their complaint against Cincinnati Insurance on September 22, 2010.

Cincinnati retained an engineering firm to determine the cause of the wall’s failure. Thomas Leahy, a structural engineer, examined the timber retaining wall after it shifted and bowed. Leahy reviewed the engineering plan, architectural plan, photographs, correspondence, and other documents related to the planning and construction of the timber wall and prepared an expert report. Leahy opined that the constructed walls differed significantly from the design. The design called for Type B walls unless it was noted that Type A walls should be used. The difference between the Type A and Type B walls was that the Type A walls omitted the embedded vertical post on the exterior face of the wall and the Manta Ray Anchors. The two wall types relied on different methods for their strength and stability. Type A walls depended on the weight of the interlocking timbers behind the wall and the weight and strength of the backfill to provide resistance to lateral forces. Type B walls depended on the embedment of vertical posts in front of the stacked timbers and anchorage of the Manta Ray. Upon inspection, Leahy found that the constructed walls were closer to Type A walls.

Leahy further noted that “the shift in the wall may also be attributed to possible settlement of backfill behind the wall and/or excavation of soil in front of the lower, temporary retaining wall at the base of the main retaining wall ... If backfill was not placed and compacted properly, the stability of the crib-type wall would be greatly affected.” (Leahy Aff. Ex. B p. 4) Leahy also acknowledged that excavation could have been a “contributing” factor. (Leahy Aff. Ex. B p. 5)

On January 31, 2013, both parties filed a motion for summary judgment. Cincinnati Insurance attached an affidavit prepared by Leahy to its motion. In his affidavit, Leahy stated that excavation and inadequate backfill could have been contributing factors, but that the shift primarily was caused by errors, omissions, and defects in the design of the wall and that the excavation and backfill would not have been a factor except for the use of the crib-type system to anchor the wall.

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Bluebook (online)
954 F. Supp. 2d 828, 2013 WL 3155405, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86708, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/salomon-v-cincinnati-insurance-innd-2013.