Hinten v. Cozma, Unpublished Decision (6-1-2004)
Hinten v. Cozma, Unpublished Decision (6-1-2004)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant All America Insurance Company appeals the decision of the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court granting summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs-appellees Alan and Diane Hinten (the Hintens). This court is asked to determine whether the trial court erred in granting summary judgment for the Hintens. Due to the Ohio Supreme Court's recent decision inWestfield Ins. Co. v. Galatis,{¶ 3} As a result of the accident and the injuries sustained therein, the Hintens brought suit against Cozma. The Hintens also asserted "Scott-Pontzer" claims for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage against All America and Westfield.
{¶ 4} All parties, All America, Westfield, and the Hintens, filed motions for summary judgment. The trial court held that the policy of commercial general liability insurance issued by Westfield was not an "automobile liability policy" and, thus, it did not provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to the Hintens. However, the trial court did hold that the All America insurance policy provided uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to the Hintens. The trial court additionally held that medical expense payments coverage was available to the Hintens under the All America insurance policy.
{¶ 5} All America timely appealed from the trial court's order raising two assignments of error. On October 15, 2003, we held the appeal in abeyance pending the resolution of the following cases: Purvis v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 2d Dist. No. 2001-CA-104, 2002-Ohio-1803, Estate of Houser v. Motorists Ins.Co., 3d Dist. No. 2-02-2, 2002-Ohio-2845, Westfield Ins. Co. v.Galatis, 9th Dist. No. 20784, 2002-Ohio-1502, Geren v.Westfield Ins. Co., 6th Dist. No. L-01-1398, 2002-Ohio-1230, andUzhca v. Derham, 2d Dist. No. 19106, 2002-Ohio-1814. Final judgment was issued in Galatis,
{¶ 7} An appellate court reviews a trial court's decision to grant summary judgment de novo. Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co.,
{¶ 8} All America argues that Alan is not an insured under its policy and thus uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is not available to him. Given the decision rendered in Galatis, we must agree.
{¶ 9} The Supreme Court stated:
{¶ 10} "Absent specific language to the contrary, a policy of insurance that names a corporation as an insured for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage covers a loss sustained by an employee of the corporation only if the loss occurs within the course and scope of employment." Galatis,
{¶ 11} In the case at hand, it is undisputed that the All America insurance policy names only Church Budget Monthly Mail Co. Inc as the insured. It is also undisputed that at the time of the accident Alan was not driving a Church Budget Monthly vehicle, nor was he operating in the scope or course of his employment. Thus, given these facts and the holding in Galatis, Alan was not an insured under the All America insurance policy.
{¶ 12} Arguments have been made, although not in this appeal, that Galatis does not apply retroactively. Generally, decisions of the Ohio Supreme Court that overrule former decisions are applied retroactively and the effect is not that the former decision was bad law, but that it was never law. Peerless Elec.Co. v. Bowers (1955),
{¶ 13} Upon reconsideration of the Galatis decision, the Ohio Supreme Court was faced with the argument of whetherGalatis was retrospective. Without issuing an opinion, it denied reconsideration. This implies that the Galatis decision is intended to apply retrospectively and is not limited to prospective application. Further in support of this is over 90 cases that the Supreme Court has disposed of based uponGalatis. In re Uninsured Underinsured Motorist CoverageCases,
{¶ 14} Accordingly, the trial court's decision that the All America insurance policy provided uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage was in error. Given that the All America insurance policy did not provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage summary judgment should have been granted for All America. Thus, this assignment of error has merit.
{¶ 16} The Auto Medical Payments Coverage section of the policy issued by All America states under the coverage section that, "We will pay reasonable expenses incurred for necessary medical and funeral services to and for an `insured' * * *." An insured is defined as "you while `occupying' or while a pedestrian, when struck by any `auto.'" The insured, "you," is the party named on the declarations page. As aforementioned, the declarations named only Church Budget Monthly as the insured. Applying Galatis' definition of you when a corporation is named as an insured, Alan was not an insured under this policy. As explained above, Alan was not acting within the scope or course of his employment. Thus, this assignment of error has merit.
{¶ 17} For the foregoing reasons, the decision of the trial court is hereby reversed and summary judgment is entered in favor of All America Insurance Company.
Waite, P.J., concurs.
DeGenaro, J., concurs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.