Webster v. Inland Supply Co.

5 N.E.2d 849, 287 Ill. App. 567, 1936 Ill. App. LEXIS 417
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedDecember 30, 1936
DocketGen. No. 38,648
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 5 N.E.2d 849 (Webster v. Inland Supply Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Webster v. Inland Supply Co., 5 N.E.2d 849, 287 Ill. App. 567, 1936 Ill. App. LEXIS 417 (Ill. Ct. App. 1936).

Opinion

Mr. Presiding Justice John J. Sullivan

delivered the opinion of the court.

By this appeal defendants, Inland Supply Company and American Mutual Liability Insurance Company, seek to reverse a judgment for $441.90, rendered against them in favor of plaintiff, L. D. Webster, in an action brought by the latter upon an automobile liability policy issued by the insurance company to the Inland Supply Company, plaintiff’s employer, to recover the amount of a judgment and costs rendered against plaintiff in a suit brought against him by one Doonan, for damages caused by plaintiff’s negligence in the operation of his automobile while engaged with said automobile in and about the business of his employer. The trial court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint and defendants electing to stand by their motion, the judgment in question here was entered.

Plaintiff’s complaint alleged, substantially, that he was in the employ of the Inland Supply Company since prior to May 11, 1934, up to the time he filed his complaint in this cause August 23, 1935; that “on May 11, 1934, the defendant American Mutual Liability Insurance Company, then and there issued its policy of insurance with the Inland Supply Company and the plaintiff herein and said policy remained in full force and effect from May 11, 1934, to May 11, 1935”; and that “a true copy of said policy of insurance, together with rider attached thereto is hereby made a part of this complaint and attached hereto and declared upon.”

The complaint further alleged that the policy provided as follows: [Only pertinent portions quoted.]

“I. To pay, within the policy limits applying thereto, each loss by reason of liability imposed upon him by law for damages, not only on account of bodily injury or death of a person or persons not hereinafter excepted, but also (if a property damage insurance premium charge has been included in the declarations) on account of damage to the property of others and the resulting loss of use thereof, caused by an accident, occurring within the policy period, by reason of the use, ownership, maintenance, or operation of the motor vehicle or trailer, or, if the motor vehicle is of the commercial type, by reason of the loading or unloading of merchandise, provided the insured has, as respects such loading or unloading operations,- no other collectible insurance.

“II. To serve the insured by such investigation of each alleged accident and such negotiation or settlement of each claim as the Company may deem expedient.

“III. To defend, in behalf of the insured, each suit, even though wholly groundless, brought against the insured to enforce a claim for such injury, death or damage, and, as respects each suit, to pay the entire premiums on attachment, removal, and appeal bonds, costs taxed against the insured, and interest accruing on the entire judgment up to the date of payment by the Company of its share of the judgment.

“IV. To pay all expenses incurred by the Company in the performance of its agreements, and, also, the expenses incurred by the insured for such necessary surgical relief of an injury covered by the policy as is rendered immediately following the accident.

“V. To extend this insurance, in the same manner and under the same conditions as it is available to the named insured, to any person, or persons, while riding in or using, operating, or maintaining the motor vehicle or trailer, and to any person, firm or corporation, legally responsible for the operation, use, or maintenance thereof, provided such use, maintenance, or operation is with the consent, express or implied, of the named insured, or, if the named insured is an individual, with the consent, express or implied, of an adult member of the named insured’s household other than a chauffeur or domestic servant; except that this insurance shall not be available to a public automobile garage, automobile repair shop, automobile sales agency, automobile service station, or any agent or employee thereof, nor shall it be available to any person, firm, or corporation having other collectible insurance as respects the accident; provided, further, insurance payable hereunder shall be applied first to the protection of the named insured, and the remainder, if any, to the protection of other persons entitled to insurance under the provisions and conditions of this clause, as the named insured shall in writing direct. If any motor vehicle or trailer specified in the application is sold, transferred, or assigned during the policy period, the protection herein provided shall not extend to the purchaser, transferee, or assignee thereof, except by the written consent of the Company endorsed hereon.

“The unqualified term ‘insured’ wherever used in this policy shall include, in each instance, not only the named insured, but also any other person, firm, or corporation, entitled to protection under this policy, but the qualified term ‘named insured’ shall apply only to the insured named and described as such in the declarations.”

The complaint then alleges that by reason of the terms of the policy and plaintiff’s inclusion in “class 1” of the rider or indorsement to said policy as an employee of the Inland Supply Company, “he was then and there insured against all loss by reason of damages sustained by him while in the course of the employ of the Inland Supply Company”; that March 12, 1935, while operating his automobile in the course of his employment for the Inland Supply Company “he sustained an automobile accident with one George Doonan on 31st street in the Village of Broadview, Cook county, Illinois, for which an action was brought by Mary Elizabeth Doonan, in which she recovered judgment against him for $441.90; that the insurance company was notified of the pendency of the Doonan action against plaintiff and refused to defend same; that plaintiff paid said judgment and in addition thereto $75. for his attorney’s fees in that suit; that the insurance company has refused to reimburse or indemnify plaintiff for the amounts so expended and therefore he brings this action as an assured under the policy to recover the above amounts from the insurance company; and that ‘ ‘ the Inland Supply Company, made defendant hereto, refuses and fails to institute suit for recovery of said money for the plaintiff herein and is, therefore, a party defendant hereto as is by statute provided.”

The printed rider or indorsement attached to the regular printed form of policy is as follows:

“It is agreed hereby, in consideration of the premiums specified herein, that the insurance, provided by the policy to which this endorsement is attached, is for the benefit of the insured only and applies only as respects an accident occurring in the business of the insured of any motor vehicle of the private passenger type, neither owned wholly or partly, registered, hired, nor leased, by the insured, nor by a partner if the insured is a partnership, but which is being-used at the time of the accident by an employee of the insured who comes within the description of class 1 below. . . .

“Class 1 — All outside employees, however compensated, whose usual duties involve the use in the business of the insured of any motor vehicles of the private passenger type.

“Class 2 — All other employees.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
5 N.E.2d 849, 287 Ill. App. 567, 1936 Ill. App. LEXIS 417, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/webster-v-inland-supply-co-illappct-1936.