SCI Liquidating Corp. v. Hartford Fire Insurance

181 F.3d 1210, 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 16691
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
DecidedJuly 20, 1999
Docket98-9069
StatusPublished
Cited by40 cases

This text of 181 F.3d 1210 (SCI Liquidating Corp. v. Hartford Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
SCI Liquidating Corp. v. Hartford Fire Insurance, 181 F.3d 1210, 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 16691 (11th Cir. 1999).

Opinion

HULL, Circuit Judge:

Hartford Fire Insurance Company and Hartford Casualty Insurance Company appeal the district court’s summary judgment order finding insurance coverage exists for sexual harassment claims made against their insured, SCI Liquidating Corporation. After review, we reverse.

I. BACKGROUND

On October 3, 1994, three former female employees sued Sunrise Carpet Industries, Inc. (“Sunrise”) and Larry Hankins, one of Sunrise’s managers, alleging causes of action for sexual harassment, retaliation, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent hiring and retention. SCI Liquidating Corporation (“SCI”) is the successor to Sunrise.

For the relevant time period, Hartford Fire Insurance Company (“Hartford”) had issued to Sunrise a commercial general liability insurance policy (the “CGL policy”) and Hartford Casualty Insurance Company (“Hartford Casualty”) had issued a separate umbrella liability insurance policy (the “Umbrella policy”). Hartford and Hartford Casualty initially defended the lawsuit under a reservation of rights. On February 17, 1995, Hartford and Hartford Casualty denied coverage and SCI was forced to retain counsel. A jury verdict for four thousand dollars was rendered in the employees’ favor against SCI. 1 The trial court also awarded attorneys’ fees against SCI. After negotiations, on March 5, 1997, SCI paid a total of $81,109.18 to the employees to satisfy the verdict and award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and interest. SCI incurred its own attorneys’ fees and expenses of $111,222.03 in defending the employees’ lawsuit.

On May 1, 1997, SCI filed this coverage case against Hartford and Hartford Casualty. SCI seeks to recover the attorneys’ fees for its defense counsel as well as the money SCI paid to the plaintiff employees in the underlying lawsuit, plus interest. All parties filed motions for summary judgment. On January 26, 1998, the district court granted SCI’s motion and denied Hartford’s and Hartford Casualty’s joint motion, finding that the insurance policies covered the underlying sexual harassment lawsuit. On August 12, 1998, the district court entered final judgment in *1212 SCI’s favor for $187,972.21 plus prejudgment interest against the Defendants jointly and severally, for an additional $4,359 plus prejudgment interest against Hartford, and for $3,384 in costs against both Defendants.

On August 17, 1998, Hartford and Hartford Casualty filed a joint Notice of Appeal. On appeal, all parties agree that no material facts are in dispute regarding the insurance coverage issues here.

II. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review de novo the district court’s rulings on motions for summary judgment. Maniccia v. Brown, 171 F.3d 1364, 1367 (11th Cir.1999).

III. DISCUSSION

A. CGL Policy

Because this appeal turns on the policy language, we first review in detail the two policies in issue.

Coverage A of the CGL policy provides for coverage of “bodily injury” liability that results from an “occurrence”:

1. Insuring Agreement.
a. We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “bodily injury” ... to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and duty to defend any “suit” seeking those damages.
b. This insurance applies to “bodily injury” ... only if:
(1) The “bodily injury” or “property damage” is caused by an “occurrence” that takes place in the “coverage territory;”....

The CGL policy defines “occurrence” in section V and “bodily injury” in an endorsement, as follows:

9. “Occurrence” means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.
17. MENTAL ANGUISH
The definition of “bodily injury” in the-DEFINITIONS section is replaced by the following:
“Bodily injury” means bodily injury, sickness or disease sustained by a person, including mental anguish or death resulting from any of these.

However, the CGL policy excludes coverage for “bodily injury” in several circumstances, such as:

SECTION I-COVERAGES
COVERAGE A. BODILY INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY
2. Exclusions.
This insurance does not apply to:
a. “Bodily injury” ... expected or intended from the standpoint of the insured.
e. “Bodily injury” to:
(1) An employee of the insured arising out of and in the course of employment by the insured. ...
This exclusion applies:
(1) Whether the insured may be liable as an employer or in any other capacity....

In addition to “bodily injury,” the CGL policy, in Coverage B, covers “personal injury” liability caused by an “offense” arising out of the insured’s business:

1. Insuring Agreement
a. We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “personal injury” ... to which this coverage part applies. We will have the right and duty to defend any “suit” seeking those damages.
*1213 b.This insurance applies to:
(1) “Personal injury” caused by an offense arising out of your business, excluding advertising, publishing, broadcasting, or telecasting done by or for you....

The CGL policy defines “personal injury” to cover one or more of the following five offenses:

10. “Personal injury” means injury, other than “bodily injury,” arising out of one or more of the following offenses:
a. False arrest, detention, or imprisonment;
b. Malicious prosecution;
c. The wrongful eviction from, wrongful entry into, or invasion of the right of private occupancy of a room, dwelling or premises that a person occupies by or on behalf of its owner, landlord or lessor;
d. Oral or written publication of material that slanders or libels a person or organization or disparages a person’s or organization’s goods, products or services; or
e. Oral or written publication of material that violates a person’s right of privacy.

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Bluebook (online)
181 F.3d 1210, 1999 U.S. App. LEXIS 16691, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sci-liquidating-corp-v-hartford-fire-insurance-ca11-1999.