Opinion ID: 878792
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Guiberson's issues:

Text: 6. Should this Court dismiss the appeal of Hartford as frivolous and assess damages for an appeal taken for purposes of delay? 7. Should the original verdict be reinstated so that defendants State Farm, Hartford and Tintinger would be liable jointly and severally for $300,000 each? Issue Number 1: Subrogation. Hartford and State Farm contend that the State in negligent and careless acts failed to supervise its patient, Tintinger. Contending that without Tintinger's escape, Guiberson would not have sustained injuries, the insurance companies claim that the State is the party truly liable. Hartford and State Farm believe that, standing in the shoes of the plaintiff, they should be subrogated to his right against the real party responsible for the injuries, i.e., the State. The insurers incorrectly cite State Farm v. Solem (Mont. 1981), 622 P.2d 682, 38 St.Rep. 124, to support the insurers' right of subrogation following a jury determination of liability of the uninsured motorist. In fact, we held in Solem that State Farm had the procedural right under Rule 14(a), M.R.Civ.P., to implead the uninsured motorist or bring anyone who may be liable into the lawsuit in the first place under the principle of subrogation, without having to wait until the insurer pays a judgment. Solem, 622 P.2d at 683. Thus, Rule 14 permits impleading on the principle of contingent liability. Of course, an insurance company has the right of subrogation to the rights of the plaintiff once liability is established. But the insurers misconstrue the procedure in stepping into Guiberson's shoes after the verdict and applying the procedure of impleading. Rule 14 permits impleading of third parties before trial; it does not substitute for a jury determination of liability. The State and Tintinger were already properly impleaded under Rule 14(a), M.R.Civ.P. The jury verdict found both parties equally negligent and equal proximate causes of Guiberson's injuries. In the amended judgment, the court conformed the result to the jury finding, determining that the patient was responsible for one-half the judgment, the State responsible for the other half. The State has satisfied the claim against it for its own negligence. The insurers are subrogated to the rights of Guiberson against the uninsured motorist, Tintinger, for his personal liability, as determined by the jury. His negligence is not imputable to the State. The purpose of uninsured motorist provisions is to cover the individual liability of the uninsured motorist to the limits of the policy according to policy provisions. In this case, the insurers may proceed on the principle of subrogation against Tintinger alone for that portion of the judgment for which the State is not liable. We affirm the District Court and hold that the State is responsible only for its own negligence in supervision. We hold that the insurance companies are subrogated to the right of plaintiff against the uninsured motorist alone because his liability is covered, not that of the State. The insurers cannot alter a jury verdict of liability under a nunc pro tunc theory of contingent liability where liability is not contingent but determined.