Opinion ID: 2973422
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Recovery Under the Bond

Text: If the court’s opinion intended to grant summary judgment to Safeco on the grounds that there was no evidence that Lexicon was making a claim for labor and materials under the bond, it No. 04-6086 Lexicon, Inc. v. Safeco Ins. Co. of America, Inc. Page 9 is reversed. Lexicon points to several documents in the record including letters sent to Icon on March 8, 2002, which provided a breakdown of the then-disputed costs and extras; an exhibit Icon submitted in the SMS-NAS separate arbitration detailing Lexicon’s claims against it; and the affidavit of Lexicon’s project manager. These documents, we believe, were sufficient to raise a jury issue that part of Lexicon’s claims were covered by the bond. Lexicon has, however, the obligation to identify the evidence in the record that supports its claim for labor and material costs under the bond. Matsushita, 475 U.S. at 587. We note that, at this stage, however, Lexicon has not conclusively proved its case. Indeed, while Lexicon referred to its claim as a claim for damages, the term damages sufficiently incorporates costs associated with labor and materials as well as other damages Lexicon suffered as a result of Icon’s breach of contract that would not be covered by the bond. Similarly, the reports only describe the difference between the hours allocated to hours in bidding the contract and the labor actually expended.7 Lexicon should not expect the district court or a fact-finder to sift through the record to identify evidence in support of its claims. Guarino v. Brookfield Twp. Trs., 980 F.2d 399, 403-407 (6th Cir. 1992). Especially in a case as complicated as this one, Lexicon must make the evidence of its claims explicit. Id. While Lexicon urges us to grant summary judgment in its favor, it has not argued for any sum except the full amount of its delay and impact claim. It is apparent that its “delay and impact claim” is broader than the labor and material provision of the bond. The case is remanded for further proceedings on the issue of the settlement agreement; and, depending on the outcome of that issue, for a determination of whether either party is entitled to summary judgment on the remaining issues not addressed by the district court’s or this court’s rulings.