Opinion ID: 1119102
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Causal relationship between the uninsured vehicle and the insured's death

Text: Section 3636 of title 36 limits UM coverage to damages an insured can recover from the owner or operator and which arise out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle. [2] The insurance contract contains similar language. Section 3636 and the insurance contract both require a causal connection between the ownership, maintenance or use of the uninsured vehicle, the Cooper car, and the injury, Byus' death. Safeco Ins. Co. of America v. Sanders, 803 P.2d 688 (Okla.1990). The trial court concluded as a matter of law a sufficient causal relationship existed to render judgment in favor of the plaintiff. We disagree. The undisputed facts show 1) the Cooper car was used to chase down the Byus' vehicle, 2) the deadly shot was fired by a passenger in the Cooper car while the car was moving, and 3) the Cooper car was used to escape the scene of the shooting. Even though these material facts are undisputed, reasonable minds could draw different inferences. The use of the gun might be viewed as inextricably linked with the use of the car sufficient to find the requisite causal relationship. If the shooting was seen as separate from the use of the car, a jury could find an insufficient causal relationship. Summary judgment is proper only if there is no dispute of material facts and reasonable minds could not differ. Handy v. The City of Lawton, 835 P.2d 870 (Okla.1992). The trial court and the Court of Appeals incorrectly determined summary judgment was proper. We addressed this same issue in Willard v. Kelley, 803 P.2d 1124 (Okla.1990). The facts in Willard are similar to the facts in the present case. In both Willard and this case, the gun was fired from the car, the cars were involved in a chase immediately before the shooting, and the car was used to get away from the scene of the shooting. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the insured. Reasoning that conflicting inferences could be drawn from the stipulated facts, this Court held that summary judgment was not proper. This Court found that the causal connection between the use of the car and the shooting was a question for the jury.