Source: http://in.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20150410_0000445.SIN.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 05:15:31+00:00

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FindACase | Goar v. Federated Life Insurance Co.
Goar v. Federated Life Insurance Co.
FEDERATED LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant.
Presently pending before the Court in this insurance coverage action are: (1) Defendant Federated Life Insurance Company's ("Federated") Motion for Summary Judgment, [Filing No. 72]; and (2) Plaintiff Andrew Goar's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, [Filing No. 96].
A motion for summary judgment asks the Court to find that a trial is unnecessary because there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and, instead, the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). As the current version of Rule 56 makes clear, whether a party asserts that a fact is undisputed or genuinely disputed, the party must support the asserted fact by citing to particular parts of the record, including depositions, documents, or affidavits. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(1)(A). A party can also support a fact by showing that the materials cited do not establish the absence or presence of a genuine dispute or that the adverse party cannot produce admissible evidence to support the fact. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(1)(B). Affidavits or declarations must be made on personal knowledge, set out facts that would be admissible in evidence, and show that the affiant is competent to testify on matters stated. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(4). Failure to properly support a fact in opposition to a movant's factual assertion can result in the movant's fact being considered undisputed, and potentially in the grant of summary judgment. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(e).
In deciding a motion for summary judgment, the Court need only consider disputed facts that are material to the decision. A disputed fact is material if it might affect the outcome of the suit under the governing law. Hampton v. Ford Motor Co., 561 F.3d 709, 713 (7th Cir. 2009). In other words, while there may be facts that are in dispute, summary judgment is appropriate if those facts are not outcome determinative. Harper v. Vigilant Ins. Co., 433 F.3d 521, 525 (7th Cir. 2005). Fact disputes that are irrelevant to the legal question will not be considered. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed. 202 (1986).
On summary judgment, a party must show the Court what evidence it has that would convince a trier of fact to accept its version of the events. Johnson v. Cambridge Indus., 325 F.3d 892, 901 (7th Cir. 2003). The moving party is entitled to summary judgment if no reasonable factfinder could return a verdict for the non-moving party. Nelson v. Miller, 570 F.3d 868, 875 (7th Cir. 2009). The Court views the record in the light most favorable to the non-moving party and draws all reasonable inferences in that party's favor. Darst v. Interstate Brands Corp., 512 F.3d 903, 907 (7th Cir. 2008). It cannot weigh evidence or make credibility determinations on summary judgment because those tasks are left to the fact-finder. O'Leary v. Accretive Health, Inc., 657 F.3d 625, 630 (7th Cir. 2011). The Court need only consider the cited materials, Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c)(3), and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has "repeatedly assured the district courts that they are not required to scour every inch of the record for evidence that is potentially relevant to the summary judgment motion before them, " Johnson, 325 F.3d at 898. Any doubt as to the existence of a genuine issue for trial is resolved against the moving party. Ponsetti v. GE Pension Plan, 614 F.3d 684, 691 (7th Cir. 2010).
"The existence of cross-motions for summary judgment does not, however, imply that there are no genuine issues of material fact." R.J. Corman Derailment Servs., LLC v. Int'l Union of Operating Engineers, 335 F.3d 643, 647 (7th Cir. 2003). Specifically, "[p]arties have different burdens of proof with respect to particular facts; different legal theories will have an effect on which facts are material; and the process of taking the facts in the light most favorable to the nonmovant, first for one side and then for the other, may highlight the point that neither side has enough to prevail without a trial." Id. at 648.
The Court notes at the outset that Mr. Goar has not complied with Local Rule 56-1(b), which provides that a response to a motion for summary judgment "must include a section labeled Statement of Material Facts in Dispute' that identifies the potentially determinative facts and factual disputes that the party contends demonstrate a dispute of fact precluding summary judgment." While Mr. Goar includes a section titled "Facts Not In Dispute" in support of his cross motion for partial summary judgment, [Filing No. 97 at 8], he does not specifically identify facts that he is disputing in connection with Federated's Motion for Summary Judgment, [ see Filing No. 97 at 29-49]. Instead, Mr. Goar provides his version of events, but without tying it to alleged inaccuracies in Federated's Statement of Material Facts Not in Dispute. This approach does not comply with Local Rule 56-1(b), and has made review of the cross motions unnecessarily cumbersome.
The Court has attempted to sift through Mr. Goar's version of events, determine which facts set forth by Federated he disputes, and construe disputed facts in his favor in connection with Federated's motion when he has provided citations to evidence in the record. But failure to comply with Local Rule 56-1(b) can result in a concession of the movant's version of events. See, e.g., Waldridge v. Am. Hoechst Corp., 24 F.3d 918, 922 (7th Cir. 1994) (the Seventh Circuit has "repeatedly upheld the strict enforcement of these rules, sustaining the entry of summary judgment when the non-movant has failed to submit a factual statement in the form called for by the pertinent rule and thereby conceded the movant's version of the facts").
 Mr. Goar responded "no" to the question "Within the past 5 years, have you had treatment for... [a] nerve or nervous system disorder."
 "I will inform [Federated] of any changes in the proposed insured's health, mental or physical condition, or of any changes to any answers on this application, prior to or upon delivery of this policy."
d. you are unable, after the first 3 years of your total disability, to work in any occupation for which you are suited through education, training or experience.
Written notice of your disability must be sent to our Home Office or to our representative. Send it within 60 days after the start of disability or as soon as reasonably possible, in any event, the required notice must be given no later than one year from the date of disability unless you were not then competent to make the claim. There is no required form, but notice must include your name and should include the policy number.

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