Opinion ID: 888929
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Montana Court Proceedings

Text: ¶ 19 The Montana District Court held a jury trial on April 6, 9, and 10, 2007, on Tucker's claim for wrongful death damages. Tucker alleged that FIE was contractually obligated under its UIM policy for her wrongful death damages. The jury awarded Tucker damages in the amount of $516,000. ¶ 20 The District Court held a hearing on September 5, 2007, to address the role or extent of collateral sources. FIE did not present any evidence or call any witnesses. FIE instead argued that Tucker had received insurance settlements that covered the same damages that the jury had awarded. FIE claimed that it was entitled to offsets to the jury award for all amounts paid by other sources of insurance. The District Court determined that FIE had failed to meet its burden of proving specific amounts that could be defined as survivorship damages and specific amounts that could be defined as wrongful death damages that would entitle it any offsets. ¶ 21 FIE sought to have the court revisit its earlier ruling that Idaho law applied to the interpretation of the contract. The District Court affirmed that Idaho law applied to control the legal construction and effect of FIE's policy. The District Court pointed to our reliance on § 188 of the Restatement (Second) Conflict of Laws to determine the state that possesses a materially greater interest in the particular contract issue and the applicable state's law in the absence of the parties' effective choice of law. ¶ 22 The court considered the factors in § 188. The parties agreed that the policies had been issued in Idaho, to Idaho residents, covering Idaho vehicles. Tucker resides in Idaho, as did Cady Tucker. The court determined that the location of the accident and the fact that the negligent driver was from Montana provided the only Montana connections. The Montana driver had failed to answer the complaint. Thus, the court determined that the action centered on the interpretation of Idaho insurance policies issued to Idaho residents. FIE appeals.