Opinion ID: 1148283
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: plaintiff's duty to deal in good faith. improper introduction of financial statement. [3]

Text: MONY contends that there was error for the trial judge to strike its defense that the attorneys for the Wesson Estate had failed to deal with MONY in good faith and to mitigate damages. Even so, MONY did introduce some evidence with an assertion that there was bad faith on the part of the insured, and the Court instructed the jury, The law imposes upon both parties to a contract the duty to deal with each other fairly and in good faith... . Early, appellant made its determination that no APL existed in the Wesson policy and denied the claim long before the letter of July 10, 1980, was sent by Attorney Gunn. This suit brought to light many MONY practices which could have resulted in more wrongful denials of death claims and resulted in subsequent proper payment of at least one wrongfully-denied death claim. There is no merit in this position. Standard Life Ins. Co. of Indiana v. Veal, supra ; Bankers' Life & Cas. Co. v. Crenshaw, 483 So.2d 254 (Miss. 1985). Appellant contends next that the trial judge erred in allowing Wesson to introduce MONY's financial statement during its case in chief prior to any evidence offered by MONY and prior to a resolution by the lower court that a punitive damage issue was made. It is an elementary principle of law that testimony of the net worth of a defendant is not admissible where the jury is not warranted in awarding punitive damages. Progressive Cas. Ins. Co. v. Keys, 317 So.2d 396, 398 (Miss. 1975), citing Western Union Telegraph Co. v. Cashman, 132 F. 805 (5th Cir.1904); Pullman Palace-Car Co. v. Lawrence, 74 Miss. 782, 22 So. 53 (1897). In the present case, the issue of actual damages was not before the jury since MONY had paid the face value of the policy into court and a verdict was directed on behalf of the Wessons. The only question for the jury was whether or not punitive damages would be allowed. If there had been no issue, the case would have terminated. That being the only issue, no error was committed. We observe that it is for the trial judge to determine, in a situation such as developed at this point of the trial below, the order in which financial records would be allowed and the conduct of the trial. We are of the opinion that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion, and the argument is rejected.