Nola Ventures, LLC v. Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc.
Nola Ventures, LLC v. Upshaw Insurance Agency, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
ORDER AND REASONS
Before the Court is Defendant Lexington Insurance Company’s (“Lexington”) Motion to Dismiss,
I. Background
A. Factual Background
On March 23, 2011, Lexington issued a policy of insurance to NOLA Ventures, covering all risks of direct physical loss or damage for “Plaintiffs Real and Personal Property, Signs, and Business Income and Extra Expense.”
NOLA Ventures is an “Arby’s Roast Beef’ restaurant franchisee and owner of ongoing businesses at several locations.
On May 22, 2011, a severe thunderstorm destroyed both of Plaintiffs’ Joplin, Missouri restaurants. These locations have not been rebuilt and their operation has not resumed.
Plaintiffs state in the complaint that Lexington ultimately made a tender of policy limits in April 2012, “approximately 11 months after the loss date.”
B. Procedural Background
Plaintiffs filed the complaint in this particular action on July 13, 2012.
II. Parties’ Arguments
In support of the pending motion, Lexington first argues that Missouri law is applicable to Plaintiffs’ claims.
Under this analysis, Lexington contends that Missouri law should be applied. Lexington characterizes Plaintiffs’ claims as residing in tort and “only seeking extra-contractual punitive damages.”
Lexington explains that the events giving rise to the dispute, tornados, and the resulting damage, occurred in Joplin, Missouri, as well as the inspection, investigation, and adjustment of the insurance claim. Additionally, Lexington argues that the alleged damage of not being able to operate these two restaurants “undeniably occurred in Missouri.” Therefore, Lexington asserts that Missouri law is applicable.
Alternatively, Lexington argues that if Louisiana Civil Code article 3543.applies, which governs conflict of laws for conduct and safety, that Missouri law should still apply. This code article states that conduct and safety issues are governed by the law of the state in which the conduct that caused the injury, which in this case in Missouri.
Lexington avers that under Missouri law, Plaintiffs cannot recover punitive damages for the claims they have asserted. Lexington argues that “Plaintiffs have not stated a claim for relief for vexatious refusal to pay under Missouri law because they have no claim for any contractual recovery.”
In any action against any insurance company to recover the amount of any loss under a policy of automobile, fire, cyclone, lightning, life, health, accident, employers’ liability, burglary, theft, embezzlement, fidelity, indemnity, marine or other insurance except automobile liability insurance, if it appears from the evidence that such company has refused to pay such loss without reasonable cause or excuse, the court or jury may, in addition to the amount thereof and interest, allow the plaintiff damages not to exceed twenty percent of the first fifteen hundred dollars of the loss, and ten percent of the amount of the loss in excess of fifteen hundred dollars and a reasonable attorney’s fee; and the court shall enter judgment for the aggregate sum found in the verdict.26
In opposition, Plaintiffs argue that Louisiana law should govern the claims asserted in the complaint. While Plaintiffs acknowledge that a federal court sitting in diversity is to apply the forum state’s choice of law rules, they also contend that “ ‘if the laws of the states do not conflict, then no choice-of-law analysis is necessary’ and the law of the forum state should be applied.”
Further, Plaintiffs argue that both Louisiana and Missouri law provide that an insured may recover statutory damages for an insurer’s bad faith refusal to timely pay or adjust claims.
Regardless, Plaintiffs argue that under a Louisiana choice of law analysis, Louisiana law should apply. Plaintiffs explain that the insurance agreement covered thirty restaurants in five different states: “The Plaintiffs have no other presence or connection to Missouri other than the two (2) restaurants in Joplin, Missouri,] both of which are permanently closed.”
Additionally, Plaintiffs argue that Article 3542, which Lexington relies on, is not applicable in this case; instead, Plaintiffs contend that Article 3537, which governs obligations, is the most applicable choice of law statute to its claims.
Except as otherwise provided in this Title, an issue of conventional obligations is governed by the law of the state whose policies would be most seriously impaired if its law were not applied to that issue.
That state is determined by evaluating the strength and pertinence of the relevant policies of the involved states in the light of: (1) the pertinent contacts of each state to the parties and the transaction, including the place of negotiation, formation, and performance of the contract, the location of the object of the contract, and the place of domicile, habitual residence, or business of the parties; (2) the nature, type, and purpose of the contract; and (3) the policies referred to in Article 3515, as well as the policies of facilitating the orderly planning of transactions, of promoting multistate commercial intercourse, and of protecting one party from undue imposition by the other.
Plaintiffs highlight that all three plaintiffs are Louisiana limited liability companies, the policy was delivered in Louisiana, the payments (performance) in the form of premiums was paid by NOLA Ventures out of Louisiana, and payment (performance) . by Lexington was to be paid to NOLA Ventures in Louisiana.
Assuming that Louisiana law is applicable, Plaintiffs contend that they have stated a claim under that state’s laws. Specifically, Plaintiffs invoke Louisiana Revived Statute § 22:1892, which states:
All insurers issuing any type of contract, other than those specified in R.S. 22:1811,1821, and Chapter 10 of Title 23 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, shall pay the amount of any claim due any insured within thirty days after receipt of satisfactory proofs of loss from the insured or any party in interest. The insurer shall notify the insurance producer of record of all such payments for property damage claims made in accordance with this Paragraph.
Plaintiffs also invoke Louisiana Revised Statute § 22:1973, which states:
A. An insurer, including but not limited to a foreign line and surplus line insurer, owes to his insured a duty of good faith and fair dealing. The insurer has an affirmative duty to adjust claims fairly and promptly and to make a reasonable effort to settle claims with the insured or the claimant, or both. Any insurer who breaches these duties shall be liable for any damages sustained as a result of the breach.
*750 B. Any one of the following acts, if knowingly committed or performed by an insurer, constitutes a breach of the insurer’s duties imposed in Subsection A of this Section:
(5) Failing to pay the amount of any claim due any person insured by the contract within sixty days after receipt of satisfactory proof of loss from the claimant when such failure is arbitrary, capricious, or without probable cause.
Plaintiffs claim that reading the complaint in the light most favorable to them, they have stated a claim for relief under Louisiana law.
However, in the alternative, Plaintiffs aver that they have stated a valid claim under Missouri law. Here, Plaintiffs explain why they believe Lexington incorrectly states that under Missouri law a plaintiff does not have a cause of action for additional amounts once the policy proceeds have been paid in full. Plaintiffs contend that in Dhyne, the Missouri Supreme Court rejected this position and reasoned that such a construction of the law “would permit an insurance company to refuse payment and avoid liability under section 375.420 by simply paying prior to trial. Such an interpretation would, from a practical standpoint, eliminate section 375.20.”
Plaintiffs also reject Lexington’s reliance on State ex rel. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Walsh,
In reply, Lexington argues that Plaintiffs claims must b.e in tort, not in contract as they now allege.
Instead, Lexington argues that Plaintiffs claims can only be construed as one based in tort, for breach of duties imposed by statute and outside the scope of the insur
In addition, Lexington challenges Plaintiffs’ assertion that Louisiana law should apply because there is no conflict between the laws of Missouri and Louisiana on this issue. Lexington maintains that “[w]hile it is true that both Missouri and Louisiana allow an insured to recover.damages in an effort to encourage insurance companies to timely pay their claims, the two states employ vastly different statutory schemes and penalties to accomplish this goal.
Finally, Lexington disputes Plaintiffs’ argument that Dhyne held that even in the absence of any contractual claims, a plaintiff has a valid claim for extra-contractual damages. Lexington attempts to distinguish Dhyne by pointing out that in that matter, the insurer only paid.the policy proceeds several months after suit was filed, whereas here the proceeds were paid before suit was filed.
III. Standard on a Motion to Dismiss
On a motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), “the central issue is whether, in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, the complaint states a valid claim for relief.”
IV. Law and Analysis
A. Choice of Law
1. Whether a Choice of Law Analysis is Necessary
Before this Court can analyze the substantive legal claims at issue in this ease, it must determine the applicable law. As both parties have acknowledged, as a court sitting in diversity, this Court must apply- the choice of law rules of the forum state, Louisiana.
In Schneider, regardless of the state law applied, the result would be identical to the claims at issue. Here, Plaintiffs do not claim the two states’ laws are identical, but rather use the nebulous phrase that the laws are “substantially similar.” However, as highlighted by Lexington, there are significant differences between Missouri and Louisiana on the issues before this Court. Aside from the differences in availability of the damages Plaintiffs seek under the two states’ statutory regimes, Missouri imposes a discretionary penalty of 10% on claim amounts in excess of $1,500.
This matter is distinguishable from Schneider, because the application of Louisiana or Missouri law to Plaintiffs’ claims will have significant implications on the availability and amount of relief Plaintiffs may receive. In Schneider, the choice of law analysis would not have effected the outcome of the claims in any way. Here, there are substantive differences between the laws of Louisiana and Missouri on the issues before the Court. Therefore, this Court must perform a choice a law analysis.
2. Choice of Law Analysis
As stated above, a federal court sitting in diversity must apply the forum state’s choice of law- rules. A district court’s choice of láw determination is reviewed de novo.
While both parties acknowledge that Louisiana’s choice of law rules apply,
In support of its position, Lexington has argued that both Louisiana and Missouri law have recognized that payment of policy proceeds satisfies all of the obligations under a contract. Defendant cites Pareti v. Sentry Indemnity Co.,
However, in Abraham v. State Farm, Mutual Automobile Insurance Company,
Here, similar to the dispute in Abraham, the dispute arose out a contractual agreement, but the plaintiff did not seek an action for breach of contract and only sought statutory damages pursuant to state law. Therefore, it appears that the Fifth Circuit has rejected Lexington’s argument that Article 3537 is only applicable when the contract determines the remedy or the contract’s interpretation is subject to state law and in dispute. This Court finds the nature of the claims in Abraham analogous to the present matter. Therefore, this Court will follow the Fifth Circuit’s precedent and apply Article 3537 to this action.
Now that this Court has determined that Article 3537 is applicable, the Fifth Circuit’s analysis in Abraham is particularly instructive. In analyzing the competing states’ connections to the dispute under Article 3537, which incorporates the considerations of Article 3515, the Fifth Circuit noted that the plaintiff was a Mississippi resident, the insurance contract was formed in Mississippi, the vehicle was registered in Mississippi, and the insurance policy was a Mississippi contract.
Here, Louisiana has many of the same connections to this dispute as did Mississippi in Abraham, and therefore the application of Louisiana’s substantive law is appropriate. All three plaintiffs are Louisiana limited liability companies, whose members are each citizens of Louisiana.
B. Failure to State a Claim
Now that it is established that Louisiana law is applicable to Plaintiffs’ claims against Lexington, the only remaining question is whether under Louisiana law Plaintiffs have stated a claim upon which relief can be granted. Lexington has already conceded that if Louisiana law is applied, Plaintiffs have stated a claim: “Louisiana law arguably permits the plaintiff to recover similar punitive damages without the need for a valid claim to policy proceeds.”
V. Conclusion
For the reasons stated above, this Court finds that Louisiana law applies to Plaintiffs’ claims against Lexington. Furthermore, Lexington has conceded that Plaintiffs have stated a cause of action under Louisiana law. Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Lexington’s Motion to Dismiss
. Rec. Doc. 23. All citations to the record will be in reference to the consolidated master docket sheet unless otherwise specified.
. Rec. Doc. 1 at ¶ 4. This citation references the separate docket for Civil Action 12-1834.
. Id.
. Id. at ¶ 5.
. Id. a^6.
. Id. at ¶ 7.
. Id. at ¶ 10.
. Id. at ¶ 11.
. Id. at ¶ 12.
. Id. at V 17.
. Id.
. Id.
. Rec. Doc. 23 (referring to master docket).
. Rec. Doc. 24.
. Rec. Doc. 25.
. Rec. Doc. 21.
. Rec. Doc. 23-1 at p. 5.
. Id. (citing Guaranty Nat'l Ins. v. Azrock Indus., Inc., 211 F.3d 239, 243 (5th Cir. 2000)).
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 5-6 (citing Lundy Enters., L.L.C. v. Wausau Underwriters Ins., 2009 WL 5217412, at *7 (E.D.La. Dec. 30, 2009)).
. Id. atp. 6 (citing La. C.C. art. 3542).
. Id.
. Id. at pp. 6-7.
. Id. at p. 7.
. Id. at p. 8.
. Mo. Ann. Stat. § 375.420 (West 2000).
. Rec. Doc. 23-1 at p. 8 (citing State ex rel. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Walsh, 540 S.W.2d 137, 141 (Mo.Ct.App. 1976)).
. Id. (citing Landum v. Livingston, 394 S.W.2d 573, 578 (Mo.Ct.App. 1965)).
. Id. at p. 9 (citing Mo. Ann. Stat. §§ 375.296, 375.420).
. Id. n. 30.
. Id. atpp. 10-11.
. Rec. Doc. 24 at p. 5 (citing Rainbow USA, Inc. v. Nutmeg Ins. Co., 612 F.Supp.2d 716, 725 (E.D.La. 2009)(quoting Schneider Nat’l Transp. v. Ford Motor Co., 280 F.3d 532, 536 (5th Cir. 2002))) (internal quotations omitted).
. Id.
. Id. at p. 7, n. 24.
. 188 S.W.3d 454 (Mo. 2006).
. Rec. Doc. 24 at p. 9.
. Id.
. Id. atpp. 9-10.
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. atpp. 11-12.
. Id. (citing In re FEMA Formaldehyde Prods. Liab. Litig., 780 F.Supp.2d 514, 522-23 (E.D.La. 2011)).
. Id. atp. 14.
. Id. at p. 14 (quoting Dhyne, 188 S.W.3d at 456).
. 540 S.W.2d 137 (Mo.Ct.App. 1976).
. Rec. Doc. 24 at pp. 16-17.
. 772 S.W.2d 826 (Mo.Ct.App. 1989).
. Rec. doc. 24 atp. 18.
. Rec. Doc. 24 atp. 1.
. Id. at p. 2 (citing Pareti v. Sentry Indem. Co., 536 So.2d 417, 421 (La. 1988); Millers Mut. Ins. Ass’n of Ill. v. Shell Oil Co., 959 S.W.2d 864 (Mo.Ct.App. 1997)).
. Id.
. Id.
. Id. atp. 3.
. Id.
. Id. at p. 4.
. Id. at p. 4.
. Id. (citing 188 S.W.3d at 457).
. Id. at p. 5, n. 14.
. Doe v. MySpace, Inc., 528 F.3d 413, 418 (5th Cir. 2008).
. Madison v. Purdy, 410 F.2d 99, 100 (5th Cir. 1969).
. Doe, 528 F.3d at 418 (citing Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)).
. Drs. Bethea, Moustoukas & Weaver, LLC v. St. Paul Guardian Ins. Co., 376 F.3d 399, 403 n. 7 (5th Cir. 2004).
. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555-56, 127 S.Ct. 1955.
. Guaranty Nat’l Ins., 211 F.3d at 243.
. Rec. Doc. 24 at p. 5.
. 280 F.3d 532 (5th Cir. 2002).
. Id. at 536.
. Mo. Ann. Stat. § 375.420.
. Rec. Doc. 26 at p. 4.
. Abraham v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 465 F.3d 609, 611 (5th Cir. 2006).
. Cain v. Altec Indus., 236 Fed.Appx. 965, 967 (5th Cir. 2007).
. 536 So.2d 417 (La. 1988).
. Id. at 421.
. 465 F.3d 609 (5th Cir. 2006).
. Id. at 610.
. Id.
. Id. at 611.
. Id. at 612-13.
. Id. at 614.
. Rec. Doc. 1. This citation references the separate docket for Civil Action No. 12-1834.
. Harvey v. Grey Wolf Drilling, Co., 542 F.3d 1077 (5th Cir. 2008).
. Rec. Doc. 23-1 at p. 2 (Lexington's memorandum in support of the pending motion).
. Rec. Doc. 23.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- NOLA VENTURES, LLC v. UPSHAW INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published