Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America v. Anda, Inc.

90 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2015 WL 1020873
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 9, 2015
DocketCase No. 0:12-cv-62392-KMM
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 90 F. Supp. 3d 1308 (Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America v. Anda, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Travelers Property Casualty Co. of America v. Anda, Inc., 90 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2015 WL 1020873 (S.D. Fla. 2015).

Opinion

OMNIBUS ORDER ON MOTIONS AND CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

K. MICHAEL MOORE, Chief Judge.

THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon the Motions and Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment filed by Gemini Insurance Company (“Gemini”); Anda Inc. (“Anda”); Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Watson”) (referred to jointly with Anda as “Anda”); Federal Insurance Company (“Federal”) and Great North Insurance Company (“Great Northern”) (referred to jointly as “Federal”); and St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company (“St. Paul”) and The Travelers Property Casualty Company of America (“Travelers”) (referred to jointly as “S & T”).1 The Motions and Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment have been fully briefed and the Court has fully considered each of the filings.

Accordingly, UPON CONSIDERATION of the Motions for Summary Judgment, the Cross-Motions for Summary Judgment, the Responses, the Replies, the applicable evidence, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, the Court enters the following Omnibus Order.

I. Gemini’s Motion for Summary Judgment

A. Background

The issue in this Motion is whether Gemini owes Anda a duty to defend and indemnify Anda for a lawsuit brought by the State of West Virginia. West Virginia filed its Amended Complaint (ECF No. 191-6) (the “Underlying Complaint”) seeking injunctive relief and damages for costs to the State resulting from the prescription drug abuse epidemic in West Virginia. See generally Underlying Compl. Anda is a major distributor of prescription drugs, which are also controlled substances. Id. ¶¶ 2-3. West Virginia alleges that Anda “violated West Virginia statutes and regulations that govern controlled substances and consumer protection” by “distributing controlled substances without sufficient monitoring and controls.” Id. ¶¶ 5, 7. For example, West Virginia alleges that Anda and other prescription drug manufacturers sold pharmacies such large quantities of [1311]*1311abused prescription drugs that the number of prescription drugs in some communities is far greater than the population could actually warrant. Id. ¶ 3. This practice of unfettered distribution to “pill mills” cost West Virginia an estimated “$430 million annually in ... 2010 with costs projected to be as much as $695 million annually by 2017.” Id. ¶¶ 3, 6(a). These figures are derived from additional costs to West Virginia’s hospitals, schools, courts, social service agencies, jails, and prisons due to the epidemic. Id. ¶ 1.

The Underlying Complaint alleges the following counts: (I) Injunctive Relief for Violations of ... the West Virginia Uniform Controlled Substances Act; (II) Damages Resulting from Negligence and Violations of the West Virginia Uniform Controlled Substances Act; (III) Unfair Methods of Competition or Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices in Violation of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (WVCCPA); (IV) Public Nuisance; and (V) Negligence. See generally id. Key to the conceptualization of the Underlying Complaint is West Virginia’s theory of relief — the State seeks relief solely for its own economic loss and not for any individual claims the persons harmed directly by the prescription drugs might assert.

Gemini moves for summary judgment against Anda’s Second Amended Counter Complaint (ECF No. 74) and argues it has no duty to defend or indemnify Anda. Gemini argues it has no duty to defend or indemnify because: (1) the claims in the Underlying Complaint are not covered by the Policy because they are not claims “for bodily injury”; and (2) the Underlying Complaint alleges unfair competition, and the Policy’s Unfair Competition Exclusion specifically excludes coverage for an entire suit where unfair competition is alleged.

Anda, on the other hand, argues that Gemini owes Anda a duty to defend and indemnify because the Policy covers claims “for bodily injury,” and the damages alleged in the Underlying Complaint stem from the drug abuse and associated injuries suffered by West Virginia residents.

Prior to the Underlying Lawsuit, Gemini issued Anda an insurance policy (the “Gemini Policy”) (ECF No. 191-9). The Parties2 agree that only the “Bodily Injury and Property Damage ... Coverage” is implicated in this case. See Gemini MSJ at 5; Anda Resp. to Gemini MSJ at 5; Gemini Policy at 27. The relevant Policy coverage is as follows:

LIFE SCIENCES LIABILITY POLICY
SECTION I — COVERAGE PART INSURING AGREEMENTS
A. COVERAGE PART A — PRODUCTS-COMPLETED OPERATIONS LIABILITY
1. SUBPART 1. BODILY INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE-CLAIMS MADE COVERAGE
a. We will pay all damages that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay for bodily injury or property damage included within the products-completed operations hazard.
b. We will also pay all defense costs to defend a claim seeking such damages.
MODIFIED DEFINITION OF BODILY INJURY ENDORSEMENT...
Bodily injury means:
Physical:
• Injury;
• Sickness; or
• Disease

[1312]*1312sustained by a person, including death where resulting from such injury, sickness or disease at any time.

Bodily injury also means mental anguish ... sustained by that person or by any relative of that person as a result of such bodily injury.

Gemini Policy at 27, 75 (emphasis in original).

The relevant exclusion is as follows:

SECTION IY — EXCLUSIONS

The following exclusions apply to all loss unless otherwise stated below. Where an exclusion applies to loss, it shall also apply to any covered defense costs associated with such loss:

c. Antitrust/Unfair Competition!Consumer Fraud
Loss ... in any way related to ... alleged: ...
2. Unfair competition; ...
4. False, deceptive, or unfair trade practices;
5. Consumer fraud; or
6. Violation of consumer protection laws.

In the event a claim is made or suit is brought against the insured alleging:

• Any loss excluded in Paragraphs c. 1., 2. or 3. above; and
• Any other loss;

then this exclusion shall apply to preclude coverage from the entire claim or suit even if any portion of the claim or suit would have been covered or a duty to defend the insured owed by us in the absence of such allegations.

Id. at 46-47 (emphasis in original).

B. Legal Standard

Summary judgment may be entered only where there is no genuine issue as to any material fact such that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Twiss v. Kury, 25 F.3d 1551

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Bluebook (online)
90 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2015 WL 1020873, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/travelers-property-casualty-co-of-america-v-anda-inc-flsd-2015.