May Creek Logging Co. v. Pacific Coast Casualty Co.
May Creek Logging Co. v. Pacific Coast Casualty Co.
Opinion of the Court
The appellant, a logging company engaged in the general logging business, brought this action against the respondent, a surety company, to recover upon a policy of insurance issued to it by the respondent, indemnifying it against certain defined losses. A demurrer to the appellant’s complaint was interposed by the surety company, which the trial court sustained. The appellant elected to stand on the complaint, and a judgment of dismissal with prejudice was entered against it. This appeal followed.
In the complaint it is alleged, that the respondent, for value received, executed its certain policy of insurance to the appellant, wherein and whereby it insured the appellant against loss and expense arising from claims for damages on account of bodily injury accidentally suffered, or alleged to
Attached to the complaint is a copy of the complaint in the action brought by Iflodek against the appellant. In that complaint Iflodek alleged a specific agreement, entered into between himself and the appellant at the time he was employed by the appellant, by which the appellant agreed, in consideration of the fee deducted, and without further expense to him, to furnish him, in case he should be injured, “with the services of a suitable surgeon and skilled physician and surgeon to attend and treat him until his recovery therefrom, and likewise provide for him, without further or other cost to him, a suitable and proper hospital, wherein he should be kept and cared for until his recovery from such injuries, . . .” A reference to the opinion of this court on the appeal shows, also, that the recovery was had on special contract to furnish medical and surgical services.
The trial court sustained the demurrer on the ground that the loss suffered by the appellant was not a loss covered by the conditions of the policy. This conclusion we think is the only conclusion that can be properly drawn from the facts shown by the record. The respondent’s liability, of course, depends upon the conditions of its policy. If it has thereby undertaken to answer for losses arising from claims of damages on account of the negligent failure of the appellant to perform a special contract wherein it undertook to furnish an employee with hospital, medical and surgical services, then it is liable to answer to the suit of the appellant, otherwise not. We cannot think the policy bears this interpretation. It purports to cover only losses arising from claims of damages by the appellant’s employees on account of accidental injuries suffered by the employees while in the prosecution of the appellant’s logging business, and the de
But argument can hardly make the point more plain. We are clear that the judgment is right and should be affirmed. It is so ordered.
Crow, C. J., Parker, Mount, and Morris, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- May Creek Logging Company v. Pacific Coast Casualty Company
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Insurance — Indemnity Insurance — -Injuries to Employees — Policy — Construction. A policy of indemnity insurance issued to a logger and insuring against losses arising from claims of damages by the insured’s employees on account of accidental injuries suffered by the employees while in the prosecution of the insured’s logging business, does not cover a loss sustained by the insured’s negligent failure to furnish an employee with hospital, medical and surgical services, under a special contract with employees so to do; and it is immaterial that the insurance company knew that it was the custom of loggers to deduct hospital fees from wages and furnish such hospital and medical treatment.