Endurance Am. Specialty Ins. Co. v. United Constr. Eng'g, Inc.
Endurance Am. Specialty Ins. Co. v. United Constr. Eng'g, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
*1276THIS MATTER is before the Court on Magistrate Judge Alicia O. Valle's Report and Recommendation (DE 43) (the "Report") regarding Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (DE 24). The Report recommends that Plaintiff's motion be granted. Defendants filed objections to the Report. (DE 44; DE 45). The Court has independently reviewed the Report, Defendants' objections, the record, and applicable case law.
Accordingly, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Report is AFFIRMED and the analysis contained in the Report is ADOPTED and incorporated herein by reference. Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment (DE 24) is GRANTED for the reasons set forth in the Report.
Having granted Plaintiff's motion for summary judgment, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that this case is DISMISSED. All pending motions are DENIED AS MOOT. All hearings, trial settings, and deadlines are CANCELED. The Clerk is directed to CLOSE this case.
DONE AND ORDERED in chambers in Miami, Florida, this 25th day of October, 2018.
REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION TO DISTRICT JUDGE
ALICIA O. VALLE, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
THIS MATTER is before the Court upon Plaintiff Endurance American Specialty Insurance Company's ("Plaintiff") Motion for Summary Judgment (the "Motion"). (ECF No. 24). United States District Judge Kathleen Williams has referred the Motion to the undersigned for a Report and Recommendation. (ECF No. 36); see also
I. BACKGROUND
A. Summary
This is a declaratory judgment action stemming from an insurance coverage dispute. See (ECF No. 1). Plaintiff seeks interpretation of an insurance policy that it issued to Defendant United Construction Engineering, Inc. ("UCE").
B. Relevant Undisputed Facts
AC1 Supply executed a contract with UCE whereby UCE agreed to perform roof repairs at a warehouse in Miami, Florida. (ECF Nos. 25 ¶ 2; 30 ¶ 2; 35 ¶ 2); see also (ECF No. 30-3 at 2-3). UCE subcontracted with Enzo Enrique Moreno Castellanos ("Subcontractor") to perform the roof repairs.
*1277Thereafter, Subcontractor hired Lopez as a roofer to perform the work at the warehouse. (ECF No. 25 ¶ 4; 30 ¶ 4; 35 ¶ 4). Lopez estimated that the roof work would take at least one week to complete, and Subcontractor agreed to pay Lopez $120 per day for his work. (ECF Nos. 25 ¶ 5; 30 ¶ 5; 35 ¶ 5). Lopez began working on December 20, 2016. (ECF Nos. 25 ¶ 6; 30 ¶ 6; 35 ¶ 6). The next day, Lopez was injured when he slipped and fell into a pool of hot tar while working at the warehouse.
II. LEGAL STANDARDS
A. Summary Judgment
A party is entitled to summary judgment when the party can show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). A fact is material if it "might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. ,
" Rule 56 requires the nonmoving party to go beyond the pleadings and by her own affidavits, or by the depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, designate specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial." Mid-Continent Cas. Co. v. Arpin & Sons, LLC ,
The Court must consider all inferences drawn from the underlying facts in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, and resolve all reasonable doubts against the moving party. Stanley Indus., Inc. v. W.M. Barr & Co. ,
B. Duty to Defend
Under Florida law, an insurance provider's duty to defend an insured "depends solely on the facts and legal theories alleged *1278in the pleadings and claims against the insured." Stephens v. Mid-Continent Cas. Co. ,
C. Duty to Indemnify
Unlike the duty to defend, the duty to indemnify "is narrower and is determined by the underlying facts adduced at trial or developed through discovery during litigation." Stephens ,
III. DISCUSSION
A. The Workers' Compensation Exclusion Precludes Coverage of Lopez's Lawsuit
Plaintiff argues that the Workers' Compensation Exclusion bars coverage of Lopez's lawsuit because the Policy specifically excludes "[a]ny obligation of the insured under a workers' compensation ... law." (ECF No. 24). In response, UCE argues that coverage exists because Lopez is a "temporary worker" and that the Policy is ambiguous regarding an exclusion for "statutory employees." (ECF No. 34). Similarly, Lopez argues that coverage exists because he is a "temporary worker" under the Policy and a "casual worker" under the Workers' Compensation Law.
In Florida, workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy available to an injured employee for the negligence of his employer if the employer has not engaged in any act intended to result in injury or death.
*1279Eller v. Shova ,
Here, the Court finds instructive Wesco Ins. Co. v. Don Bell, Inc. ,
In affirming the district court's decision, the Eleventh Circuit addressed the driver's argument that he was a "temporary worker" under the policy, stating:
This argument is irrelevant to the issue of whether [the driver] was an employee for the purposes of Florida's workers' compensation statute. That status is not affected by the policy's definition of "employee" in any way. Whether [the driver] was an employee-temporary or permanent- is defined by Florida law for purposes of workers' compensation. As *1280we have seen, he was an employee under that statute.
Wesco ,
Here, as in Wesco , UCE's Policy excluded "[a]ny obligation of the insured under a workers' compensation ... law." (ECF No. 1-2 at 14). Thus, because Lopez was a statutory employee of UCE and was injured while performing the work Subcontractor hired him to perform, the Workers' Compensation Exclusion bars coverage of his lawsuit.
Lopez's own testimony establishes that he was an employee under the Workers' Compensation Law. Specifically, Lopez testified that: (i) Subcontractor hired him to perform roofing work; (ii) Subcontractor agreed to pay him for his work; and (iii) he was injured while performing the work Subcontractor hired him to perform. (ECF No. 23-3 ("Lopez Depo.") at 29:14-31:24, 33:8-34:12, 48:15-51:1, 51:13-52:17, 92:10-16); see also Wesco ,
The Court also finds unpersuasive Defendants' arguments that Lopez was a "casual worker" under the Workers' Compensation Law. Under the Workers' Compensation Law, "[a] person whose employment is both casual and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the employer" is not an "employee."
B. The Roofing Operations Endorsement Does Not Cover Lopez's Lawsuit
Defendants also argue that the Roofing Operations Endorsement covers Lopez's lawsuit. (ECF Nos. 33 at 2-5 and 34 at 6-8). The Court disagrees. The Roofing Operations Endorsement explicitly states that it only modifies coverage. (ECF No. 1-2 at 52-53). Unlike other endorsements in the Policy, however, the Roofing Operations Endorsement does not indicate any modifications to a Policy exclusion. See
C. The Employer's Liability Exclusion Precludes Coverage of Lopez's Lawsuit
Plaintiff also argues that the Employer's Liability Exclusion precludes coverage of Lopez's lawsuit. Plaintiff concedes that "Lopez likely does not qualify as an 'employee' as defined in the Policy," but argues that Lopez is nonetheless a "statutory employee," which Florida law treats identically to actual employees in employee exclusion clauses. (ECF Nos. 24 at 8-11; 39 at 1-5; and 40 at 4-7). Lopez and UCE reiterate their previous arguments that Lopez was a "temporary employee" or a "casual" worker, and that Lopez's lawsuit is covered by the Roofing Operations Endorsement. (ECF Nos. 33 and 34). The Court again disagrees.
As discussed above, Florida courts have treated "statutory employees ... identically to actual employees in relation to standard employee exclusion clauses." Revoredo ,
The logic in the exclusion from coverage of both types of employees [ (statutory employees and actual employees) ] is simple and compelling: the only coverage intended, and for which the premium has been paid, is the liability of the insured to the public as distinguished from liability to the insured's employees whether or not they are protected by the workers' compensation law.
Federal courts in this jurisdiction applying Florida law have consistently applied the statutory definition of an "employee" when determining whether an employer's liability exclusion bars coverage of an employee's claim. Stephens ,
Here, the Employer's Liability Exclusion precludes coverage of "bodily injury" to "[a]n 'employee' of the insured arising out of and in the course of: (a) [e]mployment by the insured; or (b) [p]erforming duties related to the conduct of the insured's business ...." (ECF No. 1-1 at 14). As discussed supra , the record evidence establishes that Lopez was UCE's "statutory employee" and that Lopez was injured in the course and scope of his employment. See supra Section III.A. at 7-8. Accordingly, the undersigned finds that the Employer's Liability Exclusion bars coverage of Lopez's claim.
IV. CONCLUSION
Based on the foregoing, the undersigned finds that Plaintiff has no duty to indemnify UCE because the Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability exclusions bar coverage of Lopez's lawsuit. Consequently, because Plaintiff has no duty to indemnify UCE, Plaintiff also has no duty to defend UCE. GFM Operations, Inc. ,
V. RECOMMENDATION
Accordingly, the undersigned respectfully recommends that Plaintiff Endurance American Specialty Insurance Company's Motion for Summary Judgment be GRANTED .
The parties have 14 days from the date of this Report and Recommendation within which to serve and file written objections, if any, with United States District Judge Kathleen Williams. Failure to timely file objections shall bar the parties from attacking on appeal the factual findings contained herein except upon grounds of plain error or manifest injustice. See
DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers, at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on this 26th day of September, 2018.
Plaintiff issued a General Liability policy to UCE effective from February 15, 2016 to February 15, 2017 (the "Policy"). See (ECF No. 1-2).
In his response to Plaintiff's Statement of Unopposed Facts, Lopez claims that "there is no evidence" that UCE entered into a subcontract with Subcontractor or that Subcontractor was a "bona fide licensed and insured" subcontractor. (ECF No. 30 ¶ 3). However, whether or not Subcontractor was licensed and insured has no bearing on whether UCE and Subcontractor entered into a subcontract. The record establishes that UCE entered into a subcontract with Subcontractor, and Subcontractor in turn hired Lopez to perform the labor. See (ECF Nos. 1-1 ¶ 7, at 2; 23-1 ("Pereira Depo.") at 23:5-25:1, 42:5-45:6; 41-5 ¶¶ 9-10, at 3). Accordingly, because Lopez fails to support his denial with a citation to record evidence, the existence of a contract between UCE and Subcontractor is deemed admitted by Lopez. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 56 ; S.D. Fla. L.R. 56.1(a)(2); see also Mid-Continent Cas. Co. v. Arpin & Sons, LLC ,
Lopez also asserts that he is business invitee, but does not develop this argument. (ECF No. 3 at 7). Accordingly, the undersigned does not address this argument here. See N.L.R.B. v. McClain of Georgia, Inc. ,
The Court's jurisdiction is based on diversity. See (ECF No. 1-3). "In diversity actions, the federal court must apply the substantive law of the state in which it sits, 'except in matters governed by the Federal Constitution or by act of Congress.' " Trailer Bridge, Inc. v. Illinois Nat. Ins. Co. ,
In Wesco , the policy's definition of "employee" included a "leased worker" but not a "temporary worker." Wesco ,
Lopez also argues that Plaintiff's Corporate Representative, Ted Kuhn, testified that the Roofing Operations Endorsement does not include the Workers' Compensation Exclusion and provides coverage for an "occurrence." (ECF No. 33 at 3-5). However, as Lopez concedes, Mr. Kuhn testified that the Roofing Operations Endorsement only provides coverage for "property damage." Id. at 3; see also (ECF No. 30-6 ("Kuhn Depo.") at 70:6-11). Moreover, as Plaintiff points out, construction of an insurance policy is a question for the Court. Jones v. Utica Mut. Ins. Co. ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ENDURANCE AM. SPECIALTY INS. CO. v. UNITED CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING, INC.
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- 3 cases
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- Published