Court Opinion

ID: 9659667
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:51:59.152678+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:10.563356
License: Public Domain

Melvin Mayfield, Judge, dissenting. I dissent from the majority opinion affirming the trial court’s granting of a motion for summary judgment in this case. The appellee is Western World Insurance Company. The trial court agreed with the appellee’s contention that it was entitled to summary judgment holding appellee’s insurance policy covering an ambulance did not provide coverage for the alleged negligent operation of that vehicle. Killed in the collision of the ambulance with a train were Larry Pate, who was being transported as a passenger, and Sue Bean, who was an attendant in the ambulance. The appellee first contends its policy did not provide liability coverage in this case because it excluded any liability that would be covered by “a standard automobile public liability policy.” The appellants submitted the only evidence for consideration as to the meaning of this term. This was an affidavit by Mr. W.H.L. Woodyard, III, who was Commissioner of Insurance at the time of the collision. The affidavit states that the term “automobile liability policy” is-susceptible to “differing reasonable interpretations” and appears to be ambiguous. Ambiguities in an insurance policy are to be construed against the insurance company and in favor of coverage. Countryside Casualty Co. v. Grant, 269 Ark. 526, 601 S.W.2d 875 (1980). In Rowland v. Gastroenterology Assoc., P.A., 280 Ark. 278, 657 S.W.2d 536 (1983), the court said: Summary judgment is appropriate only when the pleadings, depositions, and answers to interrogatories, together with the affidavits, show there is no genuine issue as to any material fact, and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. ARCP Rule 56; Davis, Adm’x v. Lingl Corp., 227 Ark. 303, 641 S.W.2d 27 (1982). Evidence submitted in support of the motion must be viewed most favorably to the party resisting the motion. Dodrill v. Ark, Democrat Co., 265 Ark. 628, 590 S.W.2d 840 (1979). The object of a summary judgment is not to determine an issue but to determine whether there is an issue to be tried. If there is any doubt, the motion should be denied. Trace X Chemical v. Highland Resources, 265 Ark. 468, 579 S.W.2d 89(1979). Next the appellee points to a page of the policy labeled “Ambulance Drivers and Attendants Malpractice Insurance Coverage Part,” and argues that the policy was not intended to cover automobile accidents. However, the policy’s cover page is styled “General Liability Automobile Policy.” In Fausett Co. v. Rand, 2 Ark. App. 216, 218, 619 S.W.2d 683 (1981), we said: [E]ven if the facts are not in dispute, if reasonable minds might differ as to the conclusions to be drawn from those facts, summary judgment may not be entered. (Citations omitted.) Finally, the appellee contends the policy excluded coverage for the deceased Sue Bean because she was an employee of the non-profit company owning the ambulance and the policy excluded coverage for the death of employees arising out of their employment. The appellants contend that the evidence would show this lady was a volunteer, donating her time as an attendant in the ambulance, but nothing appears in the record other than a statement in the complaint that she was an “attendant.” In this situation, whether she was an employee of the company was certainly a fact question. Walker v. Countryside Casualty Co., 239 Ark. 1085, 396 S.W.2d 824 (1965); Eagle Star Ins. Co. v. Deal, 474 F.2d 1216 (8th Cir. 1973). I think the trial court erred in granting the appellee’s motion for summary judgment.