West American Insurance v. Cates

865 N.E.2d 1016, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 785, 2007 WL 1289411
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 17, 2007
Docket42A01-0601-CV-26
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 865 N.E.2d 1016 (West American Insurance v. Cates) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
West American Insurance v. Cates, 865 N.E.2d 1016, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 785, 2007 WL 1289411 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinions

OPINION

BAILEY, Judge.

Case Summary

Appellant-Defendant West American Insurance Company (“West Am”) appeals the denial of its motion for summary judgment on a complaint filed by Brenda Cates, individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Bernard Cates, Jr., and as next best friend of Dylan Cates regarding a claim for uninsured motorist coverage under an automobile insurance policy issued to the Cates family by West Am. We affirm.

Issue

The parties raise several issues, which we consolidate and restate as whether the trial court properly denied West Am’s motion for summary judgment.

Facts and Procedural History

On June 9, 2002, Bernard Cates (“Bernard”), along with his wife, Brenda, and their son, Dylan, were riding in their 2001 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4 proceeding southbound on State Road 61 towards the Ninth Street intersection. Bernard was driving. When they approached the intersection, Jesse Montgomery (“Montgomery”) entered the intersection, striking the Blazer in its left passenger door. The impact of the cars made the Blazer yaw to its left and eventually roll over, one full revolution. Even though he was secured by his seat belt, Bernard was partially ejected from the Blazer and sustained fatal head injuries.

At the time of the collision, Montgomery was operating a 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, owned by his mother, Teresa Merydith, and that vehicle was insured by a policy of liability insurance issued by Globe American Auto Insurance d/b/a Go America Insurance Company (“Go America”). Montgomery was also a named insured for a different vehicle in a policy of insurance issued to his father’s business, Mack Montgomery & Sons, Inc., by Grin-nell Mutual Reinsurance Company (“Grin-nell”). The Cates family vehicle was insured by a policy of liability insurance issued by West Am that included uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

On August 22, 2002, Brenda Cates (“Cates”) filed this suit (“Cates Lawsuit”), originally against General Motors Corporation (“GM”), Montgomery, and West Am.1

In November of 2002 and March of 2003, respectively, Go America and Grinnell filed separate complaints for declaratory judgment as to whether they owed insurance coverage to Montgomery. In their complaints, both insurance companies denied owing coverage. These two declaratory judgment actions were later consolidated. For discovery purposes only, the trial judge also consolidated these cases with the Cates Lawsuit.

[1019]*1019On October 21, 2003, due to a settlement with Cates for an undisclosed amount, the trial court dismissed GM from the Cates Lawsuit. In the settlement agreement between Cates and GM (“GM Settlement”), GM denied liability.

Then on August 24, 2004, West Am filed a motion for summary judgment. Days later on August 27, 2004, Cates and Grin-nell executed a settlement agreement for $250,000 (“Grinnell Settlement”). In the settlement agreement, Grinnell again denied that it owed coverage to Montgomery.

After a jury trial ending on September 9, 2004, on the consolidated complaints for declaratory judgment, Go America and Grinnell were found not to owe insurance coverage to Montgomery. On September 29, 2004, Cates and Go America executed a Covenant Not to Levy, Execute or Attempt to Attach Personal Assets for $20,000 (“Go America Settlement”).

Subsequently on October 14, 2004, West Am filed a Motion to Supplement its Motion for Summary Judgment to designate the agreements between Cates, Go America, and Grinnell. Cates filed her response to West Am’s supplemental materials on December 20, 2004. Later that day, the trial court denied West Am’s motion for summary judgment, finding that there were genuine issues of material fact in dispute, without further explanation. West Am attempted to appeal the decision, however the trial court did not certify the interlocutory appeal. The Indiana Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal due to lack of jurisdiction. West Am. Ins. Co. v. Cates, No. 42A01-0501-CV-22, 834 N.E.2d 745 (Ind.Ct.App. Sept. 8, 2005).

After a bench trial, the trial court found in part that:

7. Jesse’s [Montgomery] negligence was a proximate cause of the collision.
8. Further as a result of Jesse’s negligence, Brenda was deprived of the love, affection and companionship of her husband, Bernard, and Dylan was deprived of the love, affection, companionship, parental guidance and support of his father, Bernard.
9. Further as a result of Jesse’s negligence, Brenda and Dylan each sustained a direct impact in the collision and each observed the fatal injury of their husband/father, Bernard, and accordingly suffered emotional trauma.
10. At the time of the collision, there was in force and effect an insurance policy issued by West American to the Cates, policy number FPW25316210, which policy provided the Cates uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage with limits of $100,000.00 per person, and $300,000.00 per occurrence. The policy also provided medical/funeral payments coverage with limits of $20,000.00.
11. At the time of the collision, Jesse was an uninsured motorist.
12. As a result of Jesse’s negligence, the Estate of Bernard Cates, Jr., incurred damages in the amount of $1,000,000.00, Brenda Cates incurred damages in the amount of $1,000,000.00, and Dylan Cates incurred damages in the amount of $1,000,000.00.

The court now orders and adjudges as follows:

1. The Estate of Bernard Cates, Jr., shall have judgment against Jesse Vaughn Montgomery in the amount of $1,000,000.00.
2. Brenda Cates shall have judgment against Jesse Vaughn Montgomery in the amount of $1,000,000.00.
3. Dylan Cates shall have judgment against Jesse Vaughn Montgomery in the amount of $1,000,000.00.
4. Due to the limits of coverage on West American Insurance Company’s UWUIM policy issued to the plaintiffs, the Estate of Bernard Cates, Jr., [1020]*1020shall have judgment against West American Insurance Company in the amount of $100,000.00, Brenda Cates shall have judgment against West American Insurance Company in the amount of $100,000.00, and Dylan Cates shall have judgment against West American Insurance Company in the amount of $100,000.00.

Appellant’s Supplemental Appendix at 268-69.

West Am now appeals the trial court’s denial of its motion for summary judgment.

Discussion

I. Denial of Summary Judgment

A. Standard of Review

A party who fails to bring an interlocutory appeal from the denial of a motion for summary judgment may nevertheless pursue appellate review after the entry of final judgment. Villas West II of Willowridge v. McGlothin, 841 N.E.2d 584, 595 (Ind.Ct.App.2006). West Am’s attempted interlocutory appeal was ineffective due to lack of jurisdiction.

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West American Insurance v. Cates
865 N.E.2d 1016 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2007)

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Bluebook (online)
865 N.E.2d 1016, 2007 Ind. App. LEXIS 785, 2007 WL 1289411, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/west-american-insurance-v-cates-indctapp-2007.