Seymour v. ESTATE OF KARP

996 So. 2d 1, 2008 WL 3125932
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 31, 2008
Docket2005-CA-1382, 2005-CA-1383
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 996 So. 2d 1 (Seymour v. ESTATE OF KARP) 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
Seymour v. ESTATE OF KARP, 996 So. 2d 1, 2008 WL 3125932 (La. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

996 So.2d 1 (2008)

Scott SEYMOUR
v.
The ESTATE OF Leah KARP and Pacific Insurance Company.
Edward W. Karp, Individually and on Behalf of His Minor Son, Benjamin Karp
v.
Scott Seymour, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Louisiana Power & Light Company, New Orleans Public Service Inc., State Farm Insurance Company, St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company, Central Mutual Insurance Company, et al.

Nos. 2005-CA-1382, 2005-CA-1383.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

July 31, 2008.

*2 Steven J. Koehler, the Koehler Firm, Metairie, LA, David Fine, New Orleans, LA, for Edward Karp and Benjamin Karp.

H.F. Foster, III, David E. Walle, Bienvenu, Foster, Ryan & O'Bannon, New Orleans, LA, for Central Mutual Insurance Company.

Elizabeth S. Cordes, Robert E. Peyton, Christovich & Kearney, L.L.P., New Orleans, LA, for Central Mutual Insurance Company as Alleged Liability Insurer of Leah Karp.

Thomas E. Loehn, Boggs, Loehn & Rodrigue, Metairie, LA, for St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company.

(Court composed of Chief Judge JOAN BERNARD ARMSTRONG, Judge PATRICIA RIVET MURRAY and Judge MAX N. TOBIAS, JR.).

JOAN BERNARD ARMSTRONG, Chief Judge.

Plaintiffs-appellants, Edward Karp, individually and on behalf of his minor child, Benjamin Karp, appeal a judgment of April 6, 2005, granting two summary judgment motions of one of the defendants, the appellee, Central Mutual Insurance Company ("CMIC") dismissing with prejudice all claims by all parties against CMIC.

This case arises out of an automobile collision which occurred at 8:00 a.m. on March 30, 1990 in Orleans Parish. The plaintiffs' original petition alleges that the accident was caused by a malfunctioning traffic signal at the intersection of Wisner Boulevard and Filmore Avenue. The petition alleges that the defendant, Occidental Chemical Corporation negligently caused a power outage which led to a chain reaction of power transmission events resulting in the malfunctioning traffic signal. Mr. Karp's wife, Leah, was severely injured and died shortly after being transported to the hospital from the accident scene. Their minor son, Benjamin, was severely injured, but survived. Mr. Karp filed a survival action arising out of Leah's injuries along with a wrongful death claim. He included a claim on behalf of Benjamin Karp for his own personal injuries as well as a survival and wrongful death actions arising out of his mother's death. Named as defendants were the decedent and the driver of the other vehicle, Scott Seymour, as well as certain other defendants for their alleged negligence in connection with the power outage resulting in the malfunctioning traffic signal.

The decedent was driving a vehicle owned by her parents. Their insurers, Pacific Indemnity Insurance Company and St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, were, therefore, named as defendants. The vehicle which the decedent was driving was struck by a vehicle driven *3 by the defendant, Mr. Scott Seymour. His insurer, State Farm has already settled for the policy limits of approximately $20,000.00. Mr. Karp was the named insured under a policy with CMIC that provided both automobile liability and UM coverage. The only vehicle listed on the CMIC policy was the Karp's family vehicle. CMIC, was sued in its capacity as the alleged personal liability insurer of the decedent and in its capacity as the alleged personal UM insurer of the decedent and her son. CMIC is represented by separate counsel in each capacity. Separate motions for summary judgment were filed on behalf of CMIC in both capacities and both were granted by the judgment that is now before this Court on appeal.

We review summary judgments de novo.

I. LIABILITY COVERAGE

CMIC argues that it did not provide liability coverage to the decedent because the decedent was driving a vehicle "furnished or available" for her "regular use" that was not listed on the declarations page of the policy. For that reason, CMIC contends that the vehicle she was driving was excluded from coverage; and that the trial court was correct in dismissing the claims against CMIC in its capacity as the decedent's liability insurer for the negligence of the decedent.

The policy relevant policy exclusion reads as follows:

EXCLUSIONS

B. We do not provide Liability Coverage for the ownership, maintenance, or use of:
* * *
2. Any vehicle, other than "your covered auto," which is
a. Owned by you; or
b. Furnished or available for your regular use.

"Your covered auto" is defined as: "Any vehicle shown in the Declarations." It is undisputed that the vehicle the decedent was driving was not "your covered auto."

"You" and "your" are defined in paragraph "A" of the definitions section of the policy as referring to:

1. The "named insured" [Mr. Karp] shown in the Declarations; and
2. The spouse [Mrs. Karp] if a resident of the same household.

Paragraph "A" of the "Insuring Agreement" describing liability coverage states in pertinent part that:

We will pay damages for "bodily injury" or "property damage" for which any "insured" becomes legally responsible because of an auto accident....

Paragraph "B" of the "Insuring Agreement" provides in pertinent part that:

B. "Insured" as used in this Part means:
1. You [referring to Mr. Karp, the named insured, and including Mrs. Karp if a resident of the same household]or any "family member" for the ownership, maintenance or use of any auto or "trailer."
2. Any person using "your covered auto."

As the decedent was not using a "covered auto" under paragraph "B 2" of the "Insuring Agreement", at the time of the accident, then coverage must be found, if at all, under paragraph "B 1" of the "insuring Agreement" as the spouse or "family member" residing in the same household as the named insured, for the "use of any auto ..." We find that a genuine issue of fact exists as to the residence of Benjamin and the decedent as will hereinafter be explained in the second part of this opinion dealing with the question of UM coverage. *4 However, we find that the summary judgment dismissal of CMIC in its capacity as liability insurer of the decedent is still correct as a matter of law because the issue of fact as to residence is not material to the issue of liability coverage. The CMIC policy clearly and unambiguously excludes liability coverage on behalf of the decedent as she was driving a vehicle that was "furnished or available" to her for "regular use" that was not a "covered auto," regardless of residence.

In dismissing the claims against CMIC in its capacity as liability insurer, the trial court found that:

[T]here is no genuine issue of material fact regarding the unambiguous liability policy exclusion for the ownership, maintenance or use of "any vehicle, other than your covered auto' which is (a) owned by you; (b) furnished or available for your regular use.". Specifically, the Court concludes that the evidence that demonstrates that the car driven by Mrs. Karp was furnished or available for her regular use while residing temporarily with her parents. The Court cites Daniels versus Jenkins, 709 So.2d 362...

We agree:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
996 So. 2d 1, 2008 WL 3125932, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seymour-v-estate-of-karp-lactapp-2008.