Opinion ID: 2794540
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: statement of facts: the accident

Text: The facts are not in dispute. On 14 August 2009, Robert and Linda Connors (collectively, the “Connors,” the “Plaintiffs,” or the “Petitioners”), husband and wife, took an ill-fated stroll in their Waldorf neighborhood. A motor vehicle operated by Adam Pond (“Pond”), while backing out of a residential driveway at 3269 Captain Dament Drive, struck the Connors. Plaintiffs alleged, in their subsequent Complaint, that, as she was struck, Linda Connors hit the vehicle with her hand and screamed, causing it to come to a stop. Pond saw allegedly Linda screaming on the ground and nonetheless resumed moving the vehicle again, backing over Robert Connors, as he attempted to flee the scene. Both of the Connors sustained injuries. Robert sustained serious injuries to his head, including a traumatic brain injury, as well as injuries to his neck, body, and limbs. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment of his injuries and transferred later to the Crofton Rehabilitation Center, where he died on 31 January 2011.1 Linda sustained injuries to her neck, back, leg, and arm, and also claimed emotional injuries incurred as a result of watching her husband being run-over. At the time of the accident, the Connors together owned a vehicle insured by Government Employees Insurance Co. (“GEICO”) under a Maryland Family Automobile Insurance Policy numbered 0377-86-55-06 (the “GEICO policy” or the “policy”). GEICO concedes that both Robert and Linda Connors are “insureds” under the policy. The terms of the policy included underinsured motorist (“UIM”) coverage of $300,000 per person/$300,000 per accident. Pond maintained automobile liability insurance with Allstate Insurance Co. (“Allstate”), limited to $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident. The record does not divulge the exact monetary amount of damages sustained by Robert and Linda Connors, although GEICO concedes that the total amount exceeds all available and collectable insurance. The Connors settled with Allstate for the limits of Pond’s liability insurance after GEICO waived its rights of subrogation against Pond. Pursuant to this settlement, Allstate paid $100,000 to Robert (before he died) and $100,000 to Linda. Each of the Connors then submitted claims for underinsured motorist coverage to GEICO under the terms of their policy. The Connors sought $300,000 total from 1 Petitioners allege that Robert Connors’ death was the result of his injuries sustained in the accident. No discovery was undertaken as to the details or cause of Robert’s death. Nonetheless, GEICO (the Connors’ carrier) concedes that the injuries sustained by Robert were such that the “value” of his claim likely far exceeded the available underinsured motorist limits of the Connors’ policy under any imagined interpretation of it. 2 GEICO. GEICO agreed that the Connors were owed a total of $100,000 under the terms of the policy, but disputed the additional $200,000 claimed by them. Pursuant to an agreement reached between the parties, GEICO paid the Connors the $100,000 it agreed was owed them, with the understanding that the Connors could proceed with a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment as to the $200,000 in dispute.