Court Opinion

ID: 9704799
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:46:59.974528+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:05.594948
License: Public Domain

FORSBERG, Judge
(concurring specially):
I also concur with the result reached by the majority. However, I would agree with the trial court that the incident is not an “accident” as required by the policy. The Supreme Court in Red & White Airway Cab Company v. Transit Casualty Company, 305 Minn. 353, 234 N.W.2d 580 (1975) stated in part as follows:
The reasoning in Weis and Langford implicitly rejected the view now urged by the appellants that we should consider the question of accidental causation from the point of view of the injured party. Since an allegation of false arrest includes the element of intention to harm, we reject the argument that a false arrest can be considered accidental. The appellants also urge this court to find that because the assault was committed by an agent of the employer without his consent it was “caused by accident” within the meaning of the policy. It is true that some courts have reasoned that an action which is an intentional tort from the point of view of the agent may be an accident because its occurrence is unforeseen by the principal. Haser v. Maryland Cas. Co., 78 N.D. 893, 53 N.W.2d 502 (1952), is the most extreme case in this regard. The court there indicated that a rape was “caused by accident” within the meaning of the liability policy and allowed recovery from the insurer. See, also, Huntington Cab Company v. American Fidelity & Cas. Co., 155 F.2d 117 (4th Cir.1946); Malanga v. Manufacturers Cas. Ins. Co., 28 N.J. 220, 146 A.2d 105 (1958). Dicta in Weis v. State Farm Mutual, supra, suggests that Minnesota would adopt such reasoning in cases where intentional torts are committed by others while driving the cars of insured parties with consent. The court in Weis, distinguishing the situation in which the insured himself commits the intentional act, stated:
‘The situation would be different if someone driving plaintiff’s automobile with his consent had done the things complained of here without plaintiff’s knowledge. In such a case, it is our opinion that defendant would be compelled to defend an action similar to the case at bar....’
242 Minn. 146, 64 N.W.2d 369.

*602
However, the language in Weis is dictum, and we are persuaded by the reasoning in other cases cited.

Id. at 357-58, 234 N.W.2d at 582 (emphasis added).