Thruway Produce, Inc. v. Massachusetts Bay Insurance

114 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94846, 2015 WL 4459001
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. New York
DecidedJuly 20, 2015
DocketNo. 6:11-CV-6337 EAW
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 114 F. Supp. 3d 81 (Thruway Produce, Inc. v. Massachusetts Bay Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thruway Produce, Inc. v. Massachusetts Bay Insurance, 114 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94846, 2015 WL 4459001 (W.D.N.Y. 2015).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

ELIZABETH A. WOLFORD, District Judge. ■

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Thruway Produce, Inc. (“Plaintiff’) has sued Defendant Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company (“Defendant”) for declaratory relief. • Specifically, Plaintiff seeks a declaration that Defendant has a duty, pursuant to two insurance policies, to defend and indemnify Plaintiff in an underlying. action brought by a baby-food company concerning a recall of baby food containing adulterated apples supplied by Plaintiff, which is pending in this Court and entitled Milnot Holding Company v. Thruway Produce, Inc., No. 08-CV-6140 CJS (the “Milnot action”).

Plaintiff and Defendant have each moved for summary, judgment. (Dkt. 39 and 40). Plaintiff seeks summary judgment on its claim for a declaration that Defendant is obligated to defend and indemnify Plaintiff with respect to the Mil-not action. (Count I of -the Complaint) and its claim for a declaration that Defendant is estopped from denying coverage based upon certain representations Defendant made to Plaintiff (Count II of the Complaint). (Dkt, 40-7 at 5; Dkt. 1). In its cross-motion for summary judgment, Defendant asks the Court to find as a matter of law that the claims underlying the Mil-not action, are not within the scope of the policies’ coverage and thus that Defendant has no obligation to defend or indemnify Plaintiff. (Dkt. 39-24 at 14). Defendant also asks the Court to find as a matter of law that Plaintiffs estoppel claim is baseless. (Id. at 26-27).

For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is granted in part, insofar as Plaintiff seeks a declaration that Defendant has a duty to defend. Plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is otherwise denied, and Defendant’s motion for summary judgment is denied.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff is a supplier of produce in New York. (Case No. 08-CV-6140, Dkt. 1 at 6). Defendant is an insurance company that issued two casualty insurance policies to Plaintiff. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶¶ 25-26; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶¶ 5, 10). Plaintiff seeks defense and indemnification from Defendant in connection with the Milnot action pursuant to the policies.

I. Milnot Action

In the underlying action, the plaintiff is Milnot Holding Company (“Milnot”), a baby-food manufacturer. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶ 8; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12). Under the brand name “Beech-Nut,” Milnot manufactures and sells baby food for eventual distribution to retail outlets across the United States and in twenty-two countries. (Case No. 08-CV-6140, Dkt. 1 at ¶ 8). Milnot entered into a contract with Plaintiff, whereby Plaintiff was required to supply apples to Milnot for the 2005/2006 season. (See Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12). Under the terms of the contract, the apples were required to be free of the roden-tieides Brodifacoum and Bromadiolone, which are commonly found in baits used to kill rats and mice.' (Case No. 08-CV-6140, Dkt. 1 at ¶ .31, Dkt. 177 at 2).

To fulfill Plaintiffs obligations under the contract, Plaintiff purchased apples from various growers, stored the apples at various storage facilities, and then provided the apples to Milnot as needed. (Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12). On four occasions in 2006, Milnot discovered rodenti-cide mixed in with the apples that had been supplied by Plaintiff. (Dkt. 40-6 at [85]*85¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12). “The apples were subsequently incorporated' into the baby food manufactured by Milnot, and following the discovery of the rodenticide, Milnot removed the affected baby food from commerce.” (Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12; see also Case No. 08-CV-6140, Dkt. 114-1 at ¶ 19).1 Beech-Nut issued a product recall notice as to the baby food that had already been shipped into commerce. (Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12).

As a result of the contaminated apples and ensuing product recall, Milnot sued Plaintiff. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶¶ 8-9; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12). . In the underlying complaint, Milnot alleged that Plaintiff had breached the supply contract and various express and implied warranties, and‘that Milnot had been forced to institute a product recall as a result' of the alleged breaches. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶¶ 9-10; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12).2 Milnot claimed monetary damages in an amount not-less than $1,522,122.00. (Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 12; Dkt. 44 at ¶ 12; Case No. 08-CV-6140, Dkt. 1). On February 11, 2014, the Court in the lytilnot action granted partial summary judgment to Milnot as to liability on -the contractuai/warranty claims. (Dkt. -39-1 at ¶ 11; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 13). The issue of damages has not yet been tried or otherwise resolved in the underlying action.3

Plaintiff provided notice to Defendant of a potential claim against it related to its sale of contaminated apples to Milnot on March 21, 2006. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶ 14). On July 12, 2006, Defendant paid Plaintiff $50,000 pursuant to the product recall coverage available under an endorsement to the Primary Policy. (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶ 18).

II. The Policies

Defendant issued the following two policies to Plaintiff: a commercial general liability policy bearing number ZDS 6698406 with effective dates from June 30, 2005, to June 30,' 2006 (the “Primary Policy”) (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶ 25; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 5), and an excess/umbrella policy bearing number UHS 6724899 with effective dates from June 30, 2005, to June 30, 2006 (the “Excess/Umbrella Policy”) (Dkt. 39-1 at ¶ 26; Dkt. 40-6 at ¶ 10) (hereinafter collectively “the Policies”).

[86]*86A. Goverage and Definitions for “Property Damage” and “Occurrence”

The Policies provide coverage, in relevant part, for “property damage” caused by an “occurrence,” (Dkt. 39-10 at 17; 39-16 at 6). The Primary Policy provides definitions for -the terms “Occurrence” and “Property damage.” (Dkt. 39-11 at 11-12)4 The term “Occurrence” is defined as “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.” (Dkt. 39-11 at 11). The term “Property damage” is defined, in relevant part, as follows:

a. Physical damage to tangible property, including' all resulting loss of use of that property. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the physical injury that caused it; or
b. Loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the “occurrence” that caused it.

(Dkt. 39-11 at 12).'

B. Exclusions for Damages to “Your Product,” “Your Work,” and “Impaired Property”

The Primary Policy contains exclusions for “Damage to Your Product,” “Damage to Your Work,” and “Damage to Impaired Property or Property Not Physically Injured.” 5

1. Exclusion for “Damage to Your Product”

Under the exclusion for “Damage to Your Product,” the Primary Policy provides that the insurance does not apply to “Property damage” to “your product” arising out of it or any part of it. (Dkt. 39-11 at 2). The term “Your product” is defined, in relevant part, as follows:

Any goods or products, other than real property, manufactured, sold, handled, distributed or disposed of by:
(a) You;

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Bluebook (online)
114 F. Supp. 3d 81, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 94846, 2015 WL 4459001, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thruway-produce-inc-v-massachusetts-bay-insurance-nywd-2015.