Opinion ID: 146176
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Additional Living Expense

Text: a) We will pay the reasonable increase in living expenses necessary to maintain your normal standard of living when a direct physical loss we cover under Coverage A–Dwelling Protection, Coverage B–Other Structures Protection or Coverage C–Personal Property Protection makes your residence premises uninhabitable. When the Bradleys evacuated, they initially went to a relative’s home in Alabama. Allstate advanced $850 to the Bradleys shortly after the evacuation. After approximately two or three weeks, the Bradleys moved to Phoenix City, 18 Although interrogatory responses are not binding judicial admissions, FED . R. CIV . P. 33(c), they may be used as evidence for assessing summary judgment, FED . R. CIV . P. 56(c). See Mahler v. Klein Karoo Landboukooperasie, No. 94-10635, 1995 WL 371037, at  n.3 (5th Cir. June 5, 1995) (unpublished) (citing Thurman v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 952 F.2d 128, 136 n.23 (5th Cir. 1992)). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(c) provides that “if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” (emphasis added); see also, Kohler v Jacobs, 138 F.2d 440, 441 (5th Cir. 1943) (“[I]nterrogatories are in the nature of evidence, and . . . may be considered on a motion for summary judgment under Rule 56.”). 26 Case: 09-30035 Document: 00511105306 Page: 27 Date Filed: 05/10/2010 No. 09-30035 Alabama, and lived in a hotel that was paid for by FEMA for two weeks. The Bradleys then moved to an apartment in Phoenix City, where they lived for three or four months. The Bradleys presented evidence that they participated in a Section 8 housing assistance program and received $179 toward their rent, beginning in September 2005. The out-of-pocket cost for rent was $280 per month, and FEMA reimbursed the Bradleys for two months of rent payments. The Bradleys also received $2,000, which FEMA provided to Katrina victims. The Bradleys next moved to Columbus, Georgia, where they signed a 12-month lease on an apartment, with monthly rent of $600. In June 2007 the Bradleys returned to New Orleans. The district court sua sponte granted summary judgment in favor of the Bradleys for ALE incurred while living in Columbus, awarding them $7,200. The district court concluded that Allstate did not act in bad faith in failing to pay ALE because the Bradleys did not present evidence of ALE in a timely manner. The Bradleys assert that there exist genuine issues of material fact regarding unpaid ALE. They argue that leases provided to Allstate for the period that they lived outside of New Orleans are sufficient to establish a genuine issue regarding uncompensated expenses, and any payments that they received from Section 8 and FEMA should not be credited to Allstate. Allstate argues that, by definition, the Bradleys’ living expenses did not increase during a time period in which they incurred no expenses because they received payments from other sources, such as FEMA. The Bradleys have not presented evidence establishing a genuine issue of material fact regarding further uncompensated ALE; no estimate has been provided regarding uncompensated losses. Because the Bradleys have not established any plausible breach of contract for unpaid ALE, there is no basis for 27 Case: 09-30035 Document: 00511105306 Page: 28 Date Filed: 05/10/2010 No. 09-30035 asserting a bad faith claim against Allstate with respect to unpaid ALE. The district court did not err in granting summary judgment on both the breach of contract claim and the related bad faith claim for ALE.