United Capitol Insurance v. Special Trucks, Inc.

918 F. Supp. 1250, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3099, 1996 WL 115468
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Indiana
DecidedJanuary 30, 1996
Docket1:95-cv-00148
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 918 F. Supp. 1250 (United Capitol Insurance v. Special Trucks, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Indiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United Capitol Insurance v. Special Trucks, Inc., 918 F. Supp. 1250, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3099, 1996 WL 115468 (N.D. Ind. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION AND ORDER

WILLIAM C. LEE, District Judge.

This ease is before the Court on cross-motions for summary judgment. Plaintiff United Capitol Insurance Company (“United Capitol”) filed a Declaratory Judgment action on May 19, 1995, and Defendant Special Trucks, Inc. (“Special Trucks”) filed an Answer on June 30, 1995. On October 6, 1995, Plaintiff filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. Defendant filed its Motion for Summary Judgment on October 10,1995. Defendant also filed, on December 12, 1995, a Motion for Leave to File Amended Answer With Counterclaim. For the following reasons, plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part, and defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. Defendant’s Motion for Leave to File Amended Answer with Counterclaim is DENIED.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Considering the complex nature of the issues raised in this summary judgment action and the contentious manner in which they are being debated, the underlying facts in this case are actually straightforward and, for the most part, undisputed. Defendant Special Trucks, an Indiana corporation, contracted with Calavar Corporation (“Cala-var”), a Texas corporation, to build a truck chassis (including chassis, driveline and cab) onto which Calavar would add an “aerial boom.” The truck would then be used by Pacific Utility Equipment Company (“Pacific *1253 Utility”) for servicing power lines and equipment in Oregon. Special Trucks completed the chassis and shipped the finished truck to Calavar. Calavar completed the addition of the aerial boom assembly. Pacific Utility took delivery of the vehicle in Texas and intended to drive it to Oregon. Somewhere near Albany, Oregon, the truck crashed and was severely damaged. Pacific Utility sued Calavar and Special Trucks in U.S. District Court in Oregon, alleging that the crash was the result of defects in the work of Special Trucks and Calavar. Pacific Utility argued at trial that the crash was the result of a wheel which broke, causing the truck to veer out of control. A jury found for the plaintiff and awarded damages of $457,310.00. 1 Prior to trial, Special Trucks and Calavar entered into an agreement whereby United Capitol, on behalf of Special Trucks, paid Calavar $43,020.00 to settle any indemnity claims Ca-lavar might have against Special Trucks.

At the time of the accident, Special Trucks was covered by a commercial general liability policy. The insurer, United Capitol, tendered a defense on behalf of Special Trucks pursuant to a reservation of rights. At some point (Special Trucks claims it was during the trial), United Capitol informed Special Trucks that it was denying coverage pursuant to certain exclusionary language in the policy. United Capitol maintains that approximately $288,900.60 in damages are covered by the policy and $168,409.40 in damages are not covered. In addition, United Capitol claims that it is entitled to recover from Special Trucks the $43,020.00 it paid in settlement to Calavar. The current Declaratory Judgment action was filed to determine the coverage and damages issues.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Summary judgment is proper “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). However, Rule 56(c) is not a requirement that the moving party negate his opponent’s claim. Fitzpatrick v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago, 916 F.2d 1254, 1256 (7th Cir.1990). Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery, against a party “who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and in which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The standard for granting summary judgment mirrors the directed verdict standard under Rule 50(a), which requires the court to grant a- directed verdict where there can be but one reasonable conclusion. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A scintilla of evidence in support of the non-moving party’s position is not sufficient to successfully oppose summary judgment; “there must be evidence on which the jury could reasonably find for the plaintiff.” Id. at 252, 106 S.Ct. at 2512; In re Matter of Wildman, 859 F.2d 553, 557 (7th Cir.1988); Klein v. Ryan, 847 F.2d 368, 374 (7th Cir.1988); Valentine v. Joliet Township High Sch. Dist. No. 204, 802 F.2d 981, 986 (7th Cir.1986). No genuine issue for trial exists “where the record as a whole could not lead a rational trier of fact to find for the nonmoving party.” Juarez v. Ameritech Mobile Communications, Inc., 957 F.2d 317, 322 (7th Cir.1992) (quoting Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co., Ltd. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986)).

Initially, Rule 56 requires the moving party to inform the court of the basis for the motion, and to identify those portions of the “pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, which demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact.” Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. at 2553. The non-moving party may oppose the motion with any of the evidentiary materials listed in Rule 56(c), but reliance on the plead *1254 ings alone is not sufficient to withstand summary judgment. Goka v. Bobbitt, 862 F.2d 646, 649 (7th Cir.1988); Guenin v. Sendra Corp., 700 F.Supp. 973, 974 (N.D.Ind.1988); Posey v. Skyline Corp., 702 F.2d 102, 105 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 464 U.S. 960, 104 S.Ct. 392, 78 L.Ed.2d 336 (1983).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

American Insurance v. Crown Packaging International
813 F. Supp. 2d 1027 (N.D. Indiana, 2011)
Patel v. United Fire & Casualty Co.
80 F. Supp. 2d 948 (N.D. Indiana, 2000)
Indiana Gas Co., Inc. v. Aetna Cas. & Surety Co.
951 F. Supp. 780 (N.D. Indiana, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
918 F. Supp. 1250, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3099, 1996 WL 115468, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-capitol-insurance-v-special-trucks-inc-innd-1996.