Desmit v. Westfield Ins. Co., Unpublished Decision (9-29-2004)
Desmit v. Westfield Ins. Co., Unpublished Decision (9-29-2004)
Opinion of the Court
DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY {¶ 1} Appellants, Mark A. DeSmit, Frank DeSmit, Jr., Laura Shymkus, and the estate of Frank DeSmit, Sr., appeal from the judgment of the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas granting summary judgment in favor of Appellee, Westfield Insurance Company. This Court affirms.
{¶ 3} On August 30, 2002, Appellee moved for summary judgment. Appellants opposed the motion, and Appellee subsequently amended its motion. Appellants again responded in opposition to the motion and the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Appellee on August 26, 2003. Appellants timely appealed, raising two assignments of error. As both assignments of error assert that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Appellee, this Court will address them together.
{¶ 4} In both their assignments of error, Appellants contend that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Appellee. This Court disagrees.
{¶ 5} This Court reviews an award of summary judgment de novo. Grafton v. Ohio Edison Co. (1996),
{¶ 6} Pursuant to Civil Rule 56(C), summary judgment is proper if:
"(1) No genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that conclusion is adverse to that party." Temple v. Wean United, Inc. (1977),
{¶ 7} The party moving for summary judgment bears the initial burden of informing the trial court of the basis for the motion and pointing to parts of the record that show the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Dresher v. Burt (1996),
{¶ 8} The outcome of this case is dependent upon the interpretation of various provisions of the insurance policy provided by Appellee. It is well established that such a policy is a contract. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Marsh (1984),
{¶ 9} Appellant has argued that DeSmit, Sr. was in the course and scope of his employment when the accident occurred, making him an insured under the policy. See Westfield Ins. Co. v.Galatis,
{¶ 10} With respect to automobiles, the policy provides as follows:
"Each Of These Coverages Will Apply Only To Those Autos Shown As Covered Autos. Autos Are Shown As Covered Autos For A Particular Coverage By The Entry Of One Or More Of The Symbols From The Covered Auto Section Of The Business Auto Coverage Form Next To The Name Of The Coverage."
{¶ 11} The policy provides UM/UIM coverage for "owned `autos' only." "Owned `autos' only" is then defined as follows:
"Only those `autos' you own * * *. This includes those `autos' you acquire ownership of after the policy begins."
{¶ 12} We begin by noting that the vehicle driven by DeSmit, Sr. was not listed in the "Schedule of Covered Autos You Own." Further, assuming arguendo, that DeSmit, Sr. was an insured under the policy, and applying the above definition of "owned `autos' only," the vehicle still does not fall under the terms of the policy. It is undisputed that the vehicle involved in the accident was owned by Textured Concrete Surfaces, Inc. Appellants concede that the auto driven was not owned by the named insured of the Westfield policy and was in fact insured by Nationwide Insurance Company.
{¶ 13} "There was no ambiguity within the * * * policy itself as to which autos were covered, and [the auto involved in the accident] was not specifically identified as one of the covered autos" nor included within the definition of owned autos provided by the policy. Dillen v. National Fire Ins. of Hartford, 9th Dist. No. 21471, 2003-Ohio-5777, at ¶ 23, quoting Wright v.Small, 3rd Dist. No. 13-02-34, 2003-Ohio-971, at ¶ 21. As such, the policy in question does not provide for UIM coverage for the injuries suffered by DeSmit, Sr. Id.
{¶ 14} Further, the policy contains the following exception:
"This insurance does not apply to: * * *
"5. `Bodily injury' sustained by: * * *
"a. You while `occupying' or when struck by any vehicle owned by you that is not a covered `auto' for Underinsured Motorists Coverage under this Coverage Form[.]"
{¶ 15} Appellants have argued that "you" when used in this exception should only apply to Gillen Concrete Excavating, the named insured. As we have previously held, the term "you" as used in an exception to coverage refers to both a named insured and an insured. Dillen, 2003-Ohio-5777, at ¶ 28; see, also, Mazza v.Am. Continental Ins. Co., 9th Dist. No. 21192, 2003-Ohio-360 (holding that the term "you" must be applied consistently to both inclusions and exclusions from coverage). As such, the trial court did not err in finding that the policy did not provide coverage for any of DeSmit, Sr.'s injuries.
{¶ 16} Based upon our conclusion that DeSmit, Sr. was not driving a covered auto, Appellee's policy provided no coverage for his injuries. Therefore, Appellants cannot succeed on their claims based upon a survival action or a wrongful death action. Consequently, the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of Appellee. Accordingly, Appellants' assignments of error are overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
The Court finds that there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common Pleas, County of Lorain, State of Ohio, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy of this journal entry shall constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.
Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the period for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(E). The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is instructed to mail a notice of entry of this judgment to the parties and to make a notation of the mailing in the docket, pursuant to App.R. 30.
Costs taxed to Appellant.
Exceptions.
Slaby, J., Whitmore, P.J., concur.
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