Opinion ID: 1809872
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in awarding plaintiff damages in excess of the $50,000 policy limits.

Text: In Smith v. Audubon Ins. Co., 95-2057 (La.9/5/96), 679 So.2d 372, this court recognized the responsibility of a liability insurer to deal in good faith with a claim against its insured. The court further pointed out that Louisiana courts have never held a liability insurer liable for an excess judgment rendered against the insured absent a showing that the insurer failed to deal in good faith with a claim against its insured. Id. Plaintiff does not dispute that he did not raise the issue of bad faith at trial. Moreover, a review of the record and the trial court's judgment does not reveal that the trial court addressed the issue of whether Phoenix acted in bad faith. Thus, since the issue was never addressed in the lower courts, the record is void of any evidence to find that Phoenix acted in bad faith. Accordingly, we find that the trial court erred in awarding damages against Phoenix in excess of its established policy limits and amend the trial court's judgment to limit plaintiff's recovery against Phoenix to the policy limits, $50,000.