Court Opinion

ID: 9696345
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:45:23.177482+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:17:46.284340
License: Public Domain

DUNN, Justice
(concurring in part, dissenting in part).
I would concur in the majority opinion to the extent that the trial court had jurisdiction to try the issue of whether Motter was acting within the scope of his employment in this action to recover under the two insurance policies. I would, however, reverse on the granting of a summary judgment to Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
In the first place, the trial court did not try or even consider the issue of whether Motter was acting within the scope of his employment when the motion for summary judgment was granted. In granting this motion, the Honorable Judge Martin issued *363a memorandum opinion, which states in pertinent part:
In conclusion, the Court feels that the determination of a meritorious claim or eligibility under workmen’s compensation is for the Department of Labor. Further, that this determination could, only have been initiated by Motter within the time allowed by law. Motter failed to do this within the two year statute of limitations, and did so knowingly and ¡.voluntarily. i
The trial court, therefore, only reached the erroneous conclusion that it did not have jurisdiction to decide this issue. We have held that we will not pass on matters which have not been considered by and ruled upon in the trial court; however, the majority opinion does exactly that. See Bottum v. Herr, 83 S.D. 542, 162 N.W.2d 880 (1968); Breckweg v. Knochenmus, 81 S.D. 244, 133 N.W.2d 860 (1965).
I also disagree with the majority opinion’s inexplainable finding that the granting of a summary judgment was proper. Darnly Motter’s depositional statement that the Motters would have gone to Elkton on this weekend regardless of the convention raises a genuine question of fact, irrespective of whether we or a jury might find it persuasive or impersuasive. Her depositional statement is substantiated in the record by a series of planned personal and family activities, which the Motters engaged in over a period of four days, with Motter only attending the ongoing convention for a brief time on one afternoon. Her statement is further supported by the fact that Motter did not submit a claim for the expenses of this trip, even though three’ other music teachers from this school district did submit such a claim and were paid by the district for the full amount of their expenses.
Aside from Darnly Motter’s deposition the only other items of evidence whatsoever are a deposition of the school superintendent and the affidavits of the parties, all of which are inconclusive and conflicting on the issue of scope of employment. The rule in such a case is that, “[a] conflict in affidavits respecting issues of fact preclude summary judgment.” Hansen v. Howard O. Miller, Inc., 93 Idaho 314, 460 P.2d 739, 742 (1969). In any event, the state of the evidence is such that it removes this case from the limited category of cases in which this court has upheld the granting of a summary judgment. See Delzer Const. Co. v. South Dakota St. Bd., 275 N.W.2d 352 (S.D. 1979); Wm. Collins, Inc. v. S.D. State Bd. of Transp., 264 N.W.2d 491 (S.D.1978); U.S. Steel Corp. v. S.D. Highway Commission, 89 S.D. 679, 237 N.W.2d 175 (1975); Brasel v. Myers, 89 S.D. 114, 229 N.W.2d 569 (1975).
Finally, I am convinced that Blue Cross and Blue Shield are not entitled to the liberal rules of construction of workmen’s compensation laws as announced in prior decisions of this court. I am cognizant of the rule that: “Workmen’s Compensation Law is remedial and should be liberally construed to effectuate its purpose.” Donovan v. Powers, 86 S.D. 245, 248, 193 N.W.2d 796, 798 (1972). In accepting this rule, however, we must divine the purpose of these laws. We have stated that:
The general purpose of the Workmen’s Compensation Law is to substitute, in place of the doubtful contest for recovery or proof of an employer’s negligence and the absence of common-law defenses, a right of relief based on the fact of employment (stated to be practically automatic and certain), which improves the economic status of the worker and obviates the uncertainties, delay, expense and hardship attendant upon the enforcement of common-law remedies.
Id. at 798 (emphasis supplied). To follow the spirit of Donovan, we must take that stance which improves the economic status of the worker; only then would we be liberally construing these laws to effectuate their purpose. This would seem to be especially true where the workmen’s compensation claim is asserted by a third party as a defense to a private contractual claim in a case which does not even involve the employer and employee as adversary parties. In so holding, we would not be disturbing the policy of liberal construction since this *364is not a workmen’s compensation case. Rather, it is a contract action against two insurers who are seeking to avoid liability by hoisting the workmen’s compensation laws as a shield against their insured. These companies ask not only to hide behind such laws, they ask that we give them the benefit of liberal rules of construction which were intended to benefit employees. I am convinced they are not entitled to these liberal rules of construction.
The applicable standard which we should apply is: “Under South Dakota law, it is a well settled principle that a contract of insurance is to be construed liberally in favor of the insured and strictly against the insurer.” Masten v. Life Investors Ins. Co. of America, 474 F.Supp. 373, 376 (D.C.S.D. 1979). See Dairvland Insurance Company v. Kluckman, 86 S.D. 694, 201 N.W.2d 209 (1972); Presentation Sisters, Inc. v. Mutual Ben. Life Ins. Co., 85 S.D. 678, 189 N.W.2d 452 (1971).
The majority opinion has chosen to rule on this close and difficult issue of scope of employment without a full development of the evidentiary facts and without findings by the trial court on the ultimate facts. They have also chosen to liberally construe the workmen’s compensation laws to benefit the economic status of the two insurance companies. The record is simply insufficient for me to concur in such a result which will ultimately deny Motter the opportunity to present his claim to the court.
I would, therefore, reverse the judgment of the trial court and remand the case for further proceedings.
I am authorized to state that FOSHEIM, J., joins in this concurrence in part and dissent in part.