Opinion ID: 1859163
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did Allstate's actions constitute bad faith?

Text: This Court employs a de novo standard in reviewing a lower court's grant of a summary judgment motion. Short v. Columbus Rubber & Gasket Co., Inc., 535 So.2d 61, 63 (Miss. 1988). This entails reviewing all the evidentiary matters in the record: affidavits, depositions, admissions, interrogatories, etc. The evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to Sessoms, the non-moving party, and Sessoms is to be given the benefit of every reasonable doubt. Smith v. Sanders, 485 So.2d 1051, 1054 (Miss. 1986); Dennis v. Searle, 457 So.2d 941, 944 (Miss. 1984). A motion for summary judgment lies only when there is no genuine issue of material fact, and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. M.R.C.P. 56(c). This Court does not try issues on a Rule 56 motion, but only determines whether there are issues to be tried. Mississippi Insurance Guaranty Association v. Byars, 614 So.2d 959 (Miss. 1993). Sessoms argues that Allstate's actions in handling her claim rose to the level of a bad faith breach of contract. She bases her allegation on three theories: 1) Allstate's failure to communicate with Sessoms concerning her claim and Allstate's failure to supply information involving the accident, which would aid in initiating a negligence suit against Jessie White, another Allstate insured; 2) Allstate's refusal to pay the full policy limits for Sessoms's medical expenses; and 3) Allstate's failure to waive the collision deductible on the Sessoms policy. According to Sessoms, Allstate had a duty to investigate the accident and give her, as an insured, an honest response as to the outcome of the company's evaluation of the accident. Sessoms argues that after a claims representative told her the accident involved another Allstate insured vehicle, Allstate severed all communications with her. Neither phone calls nor letters were answered. Counsel for Sessoms introduced several letters into the record that he claims to have sent Allstate, all of which were unanswered by Allstate. These letters were not found in the Sessoms file furnished by Allstate during discovery. Sessoms also claims that Allstate breached its duty to her when Allstate would not turn over information concerning the accident in order for her to pursue a claim against Jessie White, the other Allstate insured driver.