Opinion ID: 1131456
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: willard's quest for medical payments coverage

Text: The question here to be answered is whether, at the time of injury, Willard was occupying his patrol car within the meaning of his policy's medical payments provisions. We hold that he was. [24] While the parties agree Willard had stepped out of the driver's seat when Kelley started shooting, the term occupying does include alighting from and entering into an automobile. Willard was shot immediately after he alighted from his seat and poised himself for a face to face encounter with Kelley. According to Willard deposition testimony tendered by Prudential, once the gunfire had ceased, he found himself leaning on his car seat, knees on the ground. From that position, he felt the patrol car move as Kelley pushed it with his vehicle and escaped. Under these unique facts we hold that the policy's definition of occupying is broad enough to include Willard. [25] When first shot, he either was in the process of alighting from his vehicle or never actually left it. Upon being hit by the subsequently fired bullets, Willard was entering the car. We nonetheless express no opinion on whether Willard may ultimately recover under his medical payments coverage since the fact question whether his harm was caused by accident remains unresolved.