Schreib v. American Family Mutual Insurance

129 F. Supp. 3d 1129, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118189, 2015 WL 5175708
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedSeptember 3, 2015
DocketCase No. C14-0165JLR
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 129 F. Supp. 3d 1129 (Schreib v. American Family Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schreib v. American Family Mutual Insurance, 129 F. Supp. 3d 1129, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118189, 2015 WL 5175708 (W.D. Wash. 2015).

Opinion

AMERICAN ORDER1 GRANTING DEFENDANT PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JAMES L. ROBART, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This matter comes before the court on three motions for partial summary judgment. Defendant American Family Mutual Insurance Company (“American Family”) first moved for partial summary judgment on the measure of damages. (Damages Mot. (Dkt. #67).) In her response to that motion, Plaintiff Theresa Schreib cross-moved for partial summary judgment on the same issue. (Damages Resp. (Dkt. # 72).) Finally, American Family moved for partial summary judgment on the availability of Olympic Steamship fees. (Olympic Mot. (Dkt. # 75).)

Having considered the submissions of the parties, the balance of the record, and [1133]*1133the relevant law, the court GRANTS American Family’s motions for partial summary judgment on the issues of damages2 and Olympic Steamship fees.

II. BACKGROUND

The vast majority of facts in this case are undisputed. Ms. Schreib was involved in an uncontested liability automobile collision in April, 2009. (Compl.(Dkt. # 3) ¶ 2.1.) She alleges that, as a result of the collision, she incurred a mild traumatic brain injury, in addition to neck, back, and hip injuries. (Id. ¶ 2.5.) American Family disputes the extent to which Ms. Schreib’s alleged injuries were caused by the collision. (See generally Resp. (Dkt. # 18).)

At the time of the collision, Ms. Schreib had an automobile insurance policy with American Family. (8/14/14 Rider Decl. (Dkt. # 20) ¶ 22, Ex. 19.) Her policy included underinsured 'motorist (“UIM”) coverage with a policy limit of‘$500,000.00. (Id. at 2.) Ms. Schreib settled her claim with the tortfeasor for $75,000.00, the full amount covered by the tortfeasor’s insurance policy. (Davis Deck (Dkt. # 14) ¶ 4.) American Family approved her settlement. (Id.) Ms. Schreib also received $56,300.00 in personal injury protection (“PIP”) benefits from her policy with American Family. (Id. ¶ 5.)

In the spring of 2011, after receiving amounts totaling $131,300.00 from the tortfeasor’s insurance company and American Family’s PIP coverage, Ms. Schreib submitted a claim to American Family for UIM benefits. (8/14/14 Rider Deck If 4, Ex. 1.) Over the next few months, Ms. Schreib and American Family corresponded several times regarding her claim for UIM benefits. (See generally id.) Eventually, in November, 2011, American Family informed Ms. Schreib that it had determined that the combination of her settlement with the tortfeasor’s insurance company and the PIP award,, totaling $131,300.00, was sufficient to fully compensate her for the injuries sustained in the collision. (Id. ¶ 10, Ex. 7.) Ms. Schreib contested the findings and' submitted a “settlement demand package” to American Family in February, 2012, formally requesting payment of the $500,000.00 UIM policy limit. (Davis Deck ¶ 15, Ex. 8.)

Following ongoing disputes over the UIM claim, in September, 2012, Ms. Schreib informed American Family that she would pursue claims under Washington’s Insurance Fair Conduct Act (“IFCA”), RCW 48.30.015. (Davis Deck ¶ 25, Ex. 15.) In December, 2012, pursuant to her policy, Ms. Schreib requested that her claim be submitted to binding arbitration. (Id. ¶26, Ex. 16.) An arbitrator heard Ms. Schreib’s claim in September, 2013. (Id. 1134.) The arbitrator issued a decision on October 17, 2013, ruling that Ms. Schreib incurred damages as a result of the automobile accident in the amount of $1,186,988.00. (Id. ¶ 35, Ex. 17.) Although documentation is not contained in the record before the court, the parties agree that American, Family subsequently tendered the $500,000.00 UIM policy limit to Ms. Schreib. (See Damages Mot. at 5; Damages Resp. at 22-24.)

Ms. Schreib then filed this action against American Family, alleging claims for breach of contract, violation of IFCA, and insurance bad faith.3 (See Compl. (Dkt. [1134]*1134# 1).) In the motions currently before the court, American Family refutes what constitutes “actual damages,” with specific reference to Ms. Schreib’s computations under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1)(A)(iii). (See Damages. . Mot.; 6/11/15 Rider Decl. (Dkt. #68) ¶3, Ex. 1 at 6.) American Family also seeks to bar Ms. Schreib from seeking Olympic Steamship fees. (See Olympic Steamship Mot.) Ms. Schreib opposes American Family’s motion regarding actual damages and cross-moves for partial summary judgment on that issue. (See Damages Resp.) She does not oppose American Family’s motion for partial summary judgment barring Olympic Steamship fees. (See Olympic Steamship Resp.)

III. ANALYSIS

A. Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate if the evidence, when viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, demonstrates “that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a); see Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); Galen v. Cnty. of L.A., 477 F.3d 652, 658 (9th Cir.2007). The moving party bears the initial burden of showing there is no genuine issue of material fact and that he or she is entitled to prevail as a matter of law. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. If the moving party meets its burden, the burden shifts to the non-moving party to .“make a showing sufficient to establish a genuine dispute of material fact regarding the existence of the essential elements of his case that he must prove at trial.” Galen, 477 F.3d at 658. The court is “required to view the facts and draw reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to the [non-moving] party.” Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372, 378, 127 S.Ct. 1769, 167 L.Ed.2d 686 (2007).

Because the court grants both of American Family’s motions for partial summary judgment, the analysis herein views all facts and draws all reasonable inferences in the light most favorable to- Ms. Schreib.

B. : The Proper Measure of “Actual Damages”

American Family’s first motion for partial summary judgment seeks to limit the amount and type of damages that are deemed “actual damages” under any of Ms. Schreib’s extra-contractual theories of recovery — namely, Ms . Schreib’s IFCA claim,-her CPA claim, and her tort claim of insurer bad faith. (Damages Mot. at 1.)

IFCA provides a cause of action when an insurance policy claimant is “unreasonably denied a claim for coverage or payment of benefits by an insurer.” RCW 48.30.015(1).

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129 F. Supp. 3d 1129, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118189, 2015 WL 5175708, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schreib-v-american-family-mutual-insurance-wawd-2015.