Trahan v. Central Mutual Insurance Co.

219 So. 2d 187, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5511
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 20, 1969
Docket2588
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 219 So. 2d 187 (Trahan v. Central Mutual Insurance Co.) 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
Trahan v. Central Mutual Insurance Co., 219 So. 2d 187, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5511 (La. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

219 So.2d 187 (1969)

Lezime J. TRAHAN, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
CENTRAL MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 2588.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

February 20, 1969.
Rehearing Denied March 12, 1969.

*188 Mouton, Champagne & Colomb, by George J. Champagne, Jr., Lafayette, and Voorhies, Labbe, Fontenot, Leonard & McGlasson, by J. Winston Fontenot, Lafayette, for defendant-appellant.

Broussard, Broussard & Moresi, by Marcus A. Broussard, Jr., Abbeville, for plaintiff-appellee.

En Banc.

SAVOY, Judge.

We have reviewed the record in the instant case and are in agreement with the written reasons for judgment filed in the record by the district judge. We hereby adopt his reasons for judgment, to-wit:

"This suit is a sequel to Edwards, et ux vs. Trahan, et al, 168 So.2d 365 (1964), Edwards vs. Trahan, 168 So.2d 369 (1964), and Edwards vs. Trahan, 168 So.2d 370 (1964).

"In the original suits plaintiffs obtained judgment against both defendants for approximately $75,000.00. The liability limit of the defendant, Central Mutual Insurance Company, was $25,000.00. These suits were settled for $50,000.00 after judgment with Mr. Trahan, the insured, contributing $25,000.00.

"In this suit Lezime J. Trahan seeks to recover from Central Mutual Insurance Company the amount he was forced to pay, i. e. $25,000.00, together with attorneys' fees incurred by plaintiff. Plaintiff alleges that he had purchased insurance coverage from the defendant to cover claims such as those urged in the three suits mentioned above, with a limit of $25,000.00; that the defendant denied any insurance coverage under the policy; that request and demand had been made upon the insurance company to provide defense in these lawsuits which it failed and refused to do; that offers to settle these suits within the policy limits had been made and refused; that as a result plaintiff paid the sum of $25,000.00 for which the defendant is liable together with the sum of $7,500.00 as attorneys' fees, alternatively, 30% of the sum recovered.

"Defendant denies that it is in any way liable and further contends that it fulfilled its obligation by providing plaintiff with a full defense and the offers to settle were declined because of a legitimate contention that the policy provided no coverage under the facts and circumstances of the case.

"This automobile accident happened September 30, 1962. Suits were filed December 31, 1962. As reflected by the letter of February 15, 1963 written by Nolan Edwards, on his behalf and on behalf of his wife, his brother and mother and father, to Mr. George Champagne, Mr. Frank Maraist and Mr. Gerald Hebert, all attorneys *189 representing the litigants, an offer was made to settle the several claims for $25,000.00.

"Promptly thereafter Mr. George Champagne, counsel for Central Mutual, was advised by Mr. Frank Maraist, attorney for Lezime Trahan, that should the settlement offer of Mr. Edwards be rejected and Mr. Trahan ultimately prejudiced thereby, redress would be sought against Central Mutual.

"The initial response of Mr. Champagne made it clear that he felt that there was questionable liability on the part of both Central Mutual and Mr. Trahan and, also, that he did not think Central Mutual was liable because the policy did not provide coverage. The first defense is premised upon the belief that plaintiff was negligent or, at least, contributorily negligent. The second is upon the premise that Mr. Trahan was engaged upon a business pursuit at the time of the accident so not covered by the policy. The policy is a comprehensive Homeowners Policy excluding accidents while in the furtherance of business pursuits, Special Exclusions, (a) (1). Throughout the correspondence, the last being dated May 4, 1964, Mr. Champagne steadfastly held to this position.

"Mr. Lezime Trahan testified that he could not recall all of the stages of this suit from the initial investigation until final judgment. This is quite understandable for this layman, or, as a matter of fact, for most laymen. He does recall going to talk with Mr. Champagne in the company of Mr. Maraist prior to trial. He can't remember if he told Mr. Champagne directly or if it was Mr. Maraist but he did agree to put up a sum of $7,000.00 to $10,000.00 in order to settle. This was never consummated because of Mr. Champagne's refusal to do so. His discourse with Mr. Champagne is as follows:

"`Q. Lezime, at the time of the conferences you referred to in Mr. Champagne's office, when Mr. Maraist was present; Mr. Maraist was there as your attorney, is that right?
"`A. Well, Mr. Champagne told me—if I'm not mistaken, before I got Mr. Champagne, Mr. Maraist, he told me, he said, "You don't have no insurance."

"`Q. Mr. Champagne told you that?

"`A. Yeah. Mr. Champagne said, "You don't have no insurance."

"`Q. Where did he tell you that; do you remember where it was?

"`A. I don't remember exactly where we was when he told me that but he talked to me and he said, "You don't have no insurance." He said, "I advise you to employ or get you a lawyer." He said, "I can't defend you." Well, I say, "I thought when I had insurance, the lawyer, insurance supposed to carry me." He said, "No." He said, "You don't have no insurance. The best thing to do is get yourself a lawyer." So that's when I went and see Jerry Hebert. Then Jerry Hebert got Mr. Frank Maraist and that's when I took Frank to do my work. And I left everything up to Frank, to do the work.'

"Mr. Trahan also stated that he heard Mr. Maraist tell Mr. Champagne that he was going to sue the insurance company, to which the reply was, `That's your business. Sue if you can.' but, `I'm not going to settle.'

"Mr. Maraist testified. He stated that he would not represent Mr. Trahan until he realized that a judgment in excess of the policy limits was indeed a possibility. He spoke with Mr. Champagne on at least four occasions with a view towards settlement within the policy limits. He advised Mr. Trahan of his vulnerable position. He opined that all were pretty well in agreement that Mr. Trahan was negligent. It was pointed out to Mr. Champagne that some of the plaintiffs were guest passengers and would not be contributorily negligent even if the driver, Nolan Edwards, was found to be negligent, which he thought remote.

"On the day of the trial he again conferred with Mr. Edwards and Mr. Champagne *190 and learned that the $25,000.00 offer of Mr. Edwards was still good and, at that time, told Mr. Champagne that Mr. Trahan would pay $8,000.00 toward a $25,000.00 settlement. This is corroborated by the testimony of Mr. Edwards. Mr. Champagne's reply, as he recalls it, was "I have no authority.'

"Mr. Maraist also demanded that Central Mutual supply Mr. Trahan with a defense. Mr. Champagne represented Mr. Trahan in the liability feature of the suit but did not supply a defense on the non-coverage feature. As a result of the position taken by Central Mutual he was employed and remained so throughout the trial.

"Mr. Maraist admits that a vigorous defense was made but he felt all along that his client was going to be `hung' for a substantial judgment.

"Mr. George Champagne testified on behalf of the defendant. He had served as its counsel in the three Edwards' suits above-mentioned and is now co-counsel along with Mr. Winston Fontenot for the defendant in this suit.

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Bluebook (online)
219 So. 2d 187, 1969 La. App. LEXIS 5511, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trahan-v-central-mutual-insurance-co-lactapp-1969.