Case Title: Lauzon v. State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co.

Citation: 164 Vt 620, 674 A.2d 1246

Docket Number: 

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1995-12-05T00:00:00Z

Document:
Lauzon v. State Farm Mutual Auto Ins. Co. (95-176); 164 Vt 620; 674 A.2d 1246

[Filed 05-Dec-1995]


                               ENTRY ORDER

                      SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 95-176

                            NOVEMBER TERM, 1995


Phillip H. Lauzon                    }     APPEALED FROM:
                                     }
                                     }
     v.                              }     Chittenden Superior Court
                                     }
State Farm Mutual Auto               }
Insurance Company                    }     DOCKET NO. S128-93CnC


       In the above-entitled cause, the Clerk will enter:

       Plaintiff Phillip Lauzon appeals the grant of summary judgment in
  favor of defendant State Farm Insurance Company.  We affirm.

       Plaintiff's suit arose out of a collision with an uninsured motorist
  on U.S. Route 7 in South Burlington on February 25, 1987.  At the time of
  the accident, plaintiff was insured by defendant for injury and damages
  caused by an uninsured motorist.  The parties settled plaintiff's claim for
  property damages resulting from the accident, but were unable to reach
  agreement on personal injury damages.

       In January 1990, plaintiff filed a claim against defendant under the
  uninsured motorist provision of his insurance policy, seeking compensation
  for personal injuries.  Defendant filed a subrogation suit in plaintiff's
  name against the uninsured motorist on February 20, 1990. Because of
  uncertainties surrounding the nature and extent of plaintiff's injuries,
  defendant moved to compel arbitration of plaintiff's uninsured motorist
  claim.  Plaintiff then amended his complaint, alleging additional claims of
  bad faith, violation of the Vermont Insurance Trade Practices Act, and
  breach of fiduciary duty.  Relying on a provision in plaintiff's insurance
  policy allowing either party to request arbitration, the superior court
  granted defendant's motion to compel arbitration.  In March 1992, a panel
  of three arbitrators found in favor of plaintiff, awarding him $17,500,
  which defendant paid in full.

       On January 4, 1993, the superior court granted a default judgment in
  favor of defendant in its subrogation action against the uninsured
  motorist.  On January 27, 1993, plaintiff initiated the present action
  against defendant, alleging (1) tortious bad faith, (2) breach of the duty
  of good faith and fair dealing, (3) breach of fiduciary duty, and (4)
  violation of 8 V.S.A. § 4724. Defendant moved for summary judgment, and the
  superior court granted the motion.

       Plaintiff appeals the grant of summary judgment only on the issues of
  tortious bad faith, 

  

  breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and breach of
  fiduciary duty.  We review a motion for summary judgment using the same
  standard applied by the trial court: summary judgment is appropriate only
  when the materials before the court clearly show that there is no genuine
  issue of material fact.  Morrisville Lumber Co. v. Okcuoglu, 148 Vt. 180,
  182-83,