Court Opinion

ID: 9948500
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-03-07 15:09:42.581334+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:29:50.973641
License: Public Domain

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT THE
                               APPROVAL OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION
        This opinion shall not "constitute precedent or be binding upon any court ." Although it is posted on the
     internet, this opinion is binding only on the parties in the case and its use in other cases is limited. R. 1:36-3.

                                                        SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY
                                                        APPELLATE DIVISION
                                                        DOCKET NO. A-0862-22

COMPREHENSIVE PAIN
SOLUTIONS OF NEW JERSEY,
PC a/a/o WILLIAM BEARD,

          Plaintiff-Appellant,

v.

OMNI INSURANCE COMPANY
c/o GOOD 2 GO AUTO
INSURANCE,

     Defendant-Respondent.
____________________________

                   Submitted December 5, 2023 – Decided March 7, 2024

                   Before Judges Gooden Brown and Puglisi.

                   On appeal from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law
                   Division, Camden County, Docket No. L-1875-22.

                   Betzner Law, PC, attorneys for appellant (Gerald J.
                   Betzner Jr., on the briefs).

                   Methfessel & Werbel, attorneys for respondent (Jared
                   Paul Kingsley, on the brief).

PER CURIAM
      Plaintiff   Comprehensive     Pain    Solutions   of   New   Jersey,    P.C.

(Comprehensive) appeals from the October 11, 2022, Law Division order

denying its application to vacate an arbitration award under the Alternative

Procedure for Dispute Resolution Act (APDRA), N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-1 to -19. The

dispute resolution professional (DRP) had rejected plaintiff's claim for

reimbursement of $4,258.75 from defendant Omni Insurance Company (Omni),

a Pennsylvania insurer, for personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for

William Beard, Omni's insured, because Omni was not subject to the New Jersey

"deemer" statute, N.J.S.A. 17:28-1.4. In plaintiff's ensuing summary action in

the Superior Court seeking to vacate the DRP's decision, the trial judge agreed

that Omni was not subject to the deemer statute and confirmed the award.

Because N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-18(b) bars appellate review of a trial judge's decision

to confirm, vacate, or modify an arbitration award except in rare circumstances

not applicable here, we dismiss the appeal for lack of jurisdiction.

      By way of background, the New Jersey deemer statute "sought to ensure

that New Jersey-authorized insurance companies provide to their out-of-state

insureds traveling in New Jersey the same protections required of in-state

insured vehicles." Gov't Emps. Ins. Co. v. Allstate Ins. Co., 358 N.J. Super.

555, 561 (App. Div. 2003) (citing Martin v. Home Ins. Co., 141 N.J. 279, 282

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(1995)). To that end, "[t]he deemer statute requires some insurers to include in

their out-of-state policies PIP and other New Jersey coverages to be available

whenever the insured automobile is operated within this State." Id. at 560.

"[F]rom this consequence, the law acquired the name by which it is commonly

known, the deemer statute." Ibid.

      Specifically, the statute provides:

                   Any insurer authorized to transact or transacting
            automobile or motor vehicle insurance business in this
            State, or controlling or controlled by, or under common
            control by, or with, an insurer authorized to transact or
            transacting insurance business in this State, which sells
            a policy providing automobile or motor vehicle liability
            insurance coverage, or any similar coverage, in any
            other state or in any province of Canada, shall include
            in each policy coverage to satisfy at least the personal
            injury protection benefits coverage pursuant to
            [N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4] . . . whenever the automobile or
            motor vehicle insured under the policy is used or
            operated in this State. In addition, any insurer
            authorized to transact or transacting automobile or
            motor vehicle insurance business in this State, or
            controlling or controlled by, or under common control
            by, or with, an insurer authorized to transact or
            transacting automobile or motor vehicle insurance
            business in this State, which sells a policy providing
            automobile or motor vehicle liability insurance
            coverage, or any similar coverage, in any other state or
            in any province of Canada, shall include in each policy
            coverage to satisfy at least the liability insurance
            requirements of [N.J.S.A. 39:6B-1(a)] or [N.J.S.A.
            39:6A-3],     the    uninsured      motorist    insurance
            requirements of [N.J.S.A. 17:28-1.1(a)], and personal

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            injury protection benefits coverage pursuant to
            [N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4] or of [N.J.S.A. 17:28-1.3],
            whenever the automobile or motor vehicle insured
            under the policy is used or operated in this State.

            [N.J.S.A. 17:28-1.4].

      N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4 provides that every standard automobile liability

insurance policy "shall contain personal injury protection benefits for the

payment of benefits" to an insured regardless of fault, and states that "'[p]ersonal

injury protection coverage' means and includes . . . [p]ayment of medical

expense benefits . . . for reasonable, necessary and appropriate treatment . . . to

persons sustaining bodily injury, in an amount not to exceed $250,000 per

person per accident."

      Turing to the facts, the material facts in this appeal are not disputed. On

June 21, 2020, Beard, a Pennsylvania resident, sustained physical injuries in an

automobile accident that occurred in New Jersey.          Beard received medical

treatment from plaintiff from October 21, 2020, to October 1, 2021, totaling

$4,258.75. At the time, Beard was insured under an automobile insurance policy

issued by Omni in Pennsylvania. The policy contained a $5,000 coverage limit

for no-fault medical expense benefits. When plaintiff submitted the medical

bills to Omni for payment, Omni denied payment stating the $5,000 no-fault

medical expense policy limit had been paid out and was exhausted.

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       In response, on August 12, 2021, as an assignee of Beard, plaintiff filed a

no-fault PIP arbitration proceeding against Omni pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:6A-

5.1.   N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5.1 grants parties the authority to elect arbitration to

remedy "[a]ny dispute regarding the recovery of medical expense benefits or

other benefits provided under [PIP] coverage." N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5.1(a). If a party

elects the arbitration process, the PIP statute mandates that "[a]ll decisions of

the [arbitrator] shall be binding." N.J.S.A. 39:6A-5.1(c).

       Plaintiff submitted the dispute to Forthright, an entity that administers PIP

arbitrations pursuant to the New Jersey Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction

Act, N.J.S.A. 39:6A-1.1 to -35. Plaintiff demanded payment based on the

deemer statute, claiming Omni was required to provide PIP coverage up to

$250,000 per accident as prescribed by N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4(a).            In support,

plaintiff asserted that although Omni was not licensed or authorized to do

business in New Jersey, Omni's parent company was also the parent company of

Personal Service Insurance Company (PSI), an insurance company authorized

to do business in New Jersey. Therefore, according to plaintiff, Omni and PSI

were affiliated entities because they were under the common control of the same

parent company, American Independent Companies, Inc. (American).

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      Relying on a screenshot of American's LinkedIn page, plaintiff claimed

American rebranded to "Good2Go Auto Insurance" and American's member

companies, which included Omni and PSI, were consolidated under the

"Good2Go Auto Insurance brand umbrella [which] enhanced the name

recognition of Good2Go Auto Insurance." Plaintiff also asserted that several of

the communications between Omni, Beard, and plaintiff were on Good2Go

letterhead.

      Following the submission of arbitration statements and oral argument, on

June 10, 2022, the DRP entered an award in favor of Omni. The DRP concluded

Omni had "exhausted all coverage available under the . . . policy" and Omni was

not subject to the deemer statute. The DRP explained:

              [T]he Pennsylvania $5,000[ m]edical [p]ayment limit
              has been paid out and the policy has been exhausted.
              The evidence submitted reveals that Omni is not
              licensed in New Jersey and is not authorized to do
              business in New Jersey. This matter involves a
              Pennsylvania policy, a Pennsylvania Insurance
              Company and a Pennsylvania insured. . . . [N]either
              Omni, nor its parent company, American . . . , was
              transacting or authorized to transact any insurance
              business in New Jersey on the date of the
              [accident]. . . . [N]o New Jersey court has ever decided
              that the [d]eemer [s]tatute applies to a company that
              does no insurance business in this State.

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      Thereafter, on July 21, 2022, plaintiff filed a verified complaint and order

to show cause, seeking to vacate the DRP's decision in a summary proceeding

under Rule 4:67-2(a). Relying on N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-13(c)(5), plaintiff alleged

the DRP committed prejudicial error by misapplying the law to the facts .

Following oral argument, the judge issued an order and supporting oral decision

on October 11, 2022, denying plaintiff's application.

      In his decision, the judge agreed that Omni was not subject to the deemer

statute, reasoning that Omni did no business in New Jersey and, other than being

owned by the same company, PSI had no control over or relationship with Omni.

See Gov't Emps. Ins. Co., 358 N.J. Super. at 575 (interpreting the deemer statute

to apply "to insurers authorized to transact or transacting automobile or motor

vehicle insurance business in this State and to carriers controlling or affiliated

with the authorized insurer who are authorized to transact some insurance

business in New Jersey"); cf. Arevalo v. Omni Ins. Co., 490 F. Supp. 3d 893,

898 (E.D. Pa. 2020) (interpreting the deemer statute to reach "any insurer who

does not transact automobile insurance in New Jersey so long as the insurer is

affiliated with an insurer authorized to transact or transacting automobile or

motor vehicle insurance business in New Jersey"). This appeal followed.

      On appeal, plaintiff raises the following points for our consideration:

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             [I.] THE TRIAL [JUDGE] ERRED SINCE N.J.S.A.
             17:28-1.4 REQUIRES OMNI TO PROVIDE NO-
             FAULT MEDICAL EXPENSE COVERAGE UP TO
             $250,000.

             [II.] THE TRIAL COURT ORDER SHOULD BE
             REVERSED,    THE  ARBITRATION  AWARD
             SHOULD BE VACATED, CORRECTED AND
             JUDGMENT ENTERED WITH ATTORNEY FEES
             AND COSTS.

      "[T]he Legislature enacted APDRA to 'create a new procedure for dispute

resolution which would be an alternative to the present civil justice system and

arbitration system in settling disputes.'" N.J. Mfrs. Ins. Co. v. Specialty Surgical

Ctr. of N. Brunswick, 458 N.J. Super. 63, 69 (App. Div. 2019) (quoting Mt.

Hope Dev. Assocs. v. Mt. Hope Waterpower Project, L.P., 154 N.J. 141, 145

(1998)). "It is intended to provide a speedier and less expensive process for

resolution of disputes than traditional civil litigation . . . ." Ibid. (alteration in

original) (quoting Mt. Hope Dev. Assocs., 154 N.J. at 145). "Additionally, the

Legislature intended for APDRA to provide 'a formal method of resolving

disputes with predictable rules, procedures, and results . . . ." Ibid. (alteration

in original) (quoting Mt. Hope Dev. Assocs., 154 N.J. at 145).

      To that end, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-13(a), a party to an APDRA

proceeding may request the Superior Court to vacate, modify or correct an

arbitration award upon commencing a summary application. When considering

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an application for such relief, "a decision of the umpire on the facts shall be final

if there is substantial evidence to support that decision." N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-

13(b). See Mt. Hope Dev. Assocs., 154 N.J. at 149 (observing that "limited

judicial review is a central component of the APDRA").

      N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-13(c) provides five grounds for vacating an arbitrator's

award. Here, plaintiff sought to vacate the award pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-

13(c)(5), which provides that the arbitrator's award may be vacated if "[t]he

umpire[] commit[ted] prejudicial error by erroneously applying law to the issues

and facts presented for alternative resolution." "[O]nly if the judge concludes

the umpire's application of the law to the facts was 'prejudicial[ly] erro[neous]'

may the judge 'vacat[e] or modify[ ] the erroneous determination,' and apply the

'applicable law' to reach the proper result." Monmouth Med. Ctr. v. State Farm

Indem. Co., 460 N.J. Super. 582, 591 (App. Div. 2019) (alterations in original)

(quoting N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-13(f)). If the trial judge denies the application to

vacate or modify, the arbitration award shall be confirmed. N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-

14.

      N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-18(b) provides that

                   Upon the granting of an order confirming,
             modifying[,] or correcting an award, a judgment or
             decree shall be entered by the court in conformity
             therewith and be enforced as any other judgment or

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                                         9
            decree. There shall be no further appeal or review of
            the judgment or decree.

Thus, "[a]ccording to the statute, that judicial scrutiny by the trial court should

constitute the final level of appellate review." N.J. Mfrs. Ins. Co., 458 N.J.

Super. at 67-68.

      Therefore,

                  [b]ased on the explicit language in the statute,
            "appellate review is generally not available" to
            challenge a trial judge's order issued in cases arising
            under the APDRA; however, "there are exceptions."
            Morel v. State Farm Ins. Co., 396 N.J. Super. 472, 475
            (App. Div. 2007).         In [Mt. Hope Development
            Associates, 154 N.J. at 152], our Supreme Court
            identified a child support order as an example of such
            an exception. In addition, the Court indicated there
            may be other ["]'rare circumstances' . . . . where public
            policy would require appellate court review," including
            cases where review is necessary for it to carry out its
            "supervisory function over the courts." Ibid. (quoting
            Tretina Printing, Inc. v. Fitzpatrick & Assocs., Inc., 135
            N.J. 349, 364-65 (1994)).

                   The "rare circumstances" enabling further review
            beyond the trial court in APDRA matters arise only in
            situations where such appellate review is needed to
            effectuate a "nondelegable, special supervisory
            function," of the appellate court.            Riverside
            Chiropractic Grp. v. Mercury Ins. Co., 404 N.J. Super.
            228, 239 (App. Div. 2008) (citing Mt. Hope Dev.
            Assocs., 154 N.J. at 152). In a few exceptional
            instances, we have elected to perform such appellate
            review in an APDRA matter. See, e.g., Selective Ins.
            Co. of Am. v. Rothman, 414 N.J. Super. 331, 341-42

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                                       10
              (App. Div. 2010) (reversing a trial court's order
              erroneously upholding a decision of a DRP, who failed
              to enforce a clear statutory mandate involving a "matter
              of significant public concern") . . . ; [Kimba Med.
              Supply v. Allstate Ins. Co., 431 N.J. Super. 463, 482
              (App. Div. 2013)] (invoking the jurisdictional
              exception to undertake appellate review of unresolved
              and recurring legal questions concerning the proper
              interpretation of APDRA).

              [N.J. Mfrs. Ins. Co., 458 N.J. Super. at 68-69 (fourth
              alteration in original).]

      Thus, absent "rare circumstances," an appellate court has "no jurisdiction

to tamper with the [trial] judge's decision or do anything other than recognize

that the judge has acted within his[ or her] jurisdiction." Monmouth Med. Ctr.,

460 N.J. Super. at 590 (quoting N.J. Citizens Underwriting Reciprocal Exch. v.

Kieran Collins, D.C., L.L.C., 399 N.J. Super. 40, 48 (App. Div. 2008)). Indeed,

when "the trial judge act[s] within APDRA's bounds," "N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-18(b)

requires a dismissal of an appeal of that determination regardless of whether we

may think the trial judge exercised that jurisdiction imperfectly." Fort Lee

Surgery Ctr., Inc. v. Proformance Ins. Co., 412 N.J. Super. 99, 103-04 (App.

Div. 2010).

      Any other view of our appellate jurisdiction "would conflict with the

Legislature's expressed desire in enacting APDRA to eliminate appellate review

in these matters." Id. at 104; see, e.g., N.J. Citizens Underwriting Reciprocal

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Exch., 399 N.J. Super. at 50 (dismissing appeal because the trial court "steered

a course well within the confines of N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-13(c)(5)"); Riverside

Chiropractic Grp., 404 N.J. Super. at 240 (dismissing appeal because the trial

court "did not commit any glaring errors that would frustrate the Legislature's

purpose in enacting the APDRA" but "correctly applied the relevant provisions

of the statute to the facts at issue"); see also Fort Lee Surgery Ctr., Inc., 412 N.J.

Super. at 104 (dismissing appeal "[b]ecause the judge navigated within

APDRA's parameters, . . . regardless of whether we might have decided the

merits differently").

      Adhering to these principles, we are satisfied that the order under review

falls within the parameters of N.J.S.A. 2A:23A-18(b). Therefore, we dismiss

the appeal because the judge properly exercised the authority granted to him

under the APDRA, and adhered to the statutory grounds in confirming the DRP

award. "Because the judge navigated within [the] APDRA's parameters," Fort

Lee Surgery Ctr. Inc., 412 N.J. Super. at 104, "there is no principled reason for

the exercise of our supervisory jurisdiction, or any unusual circumstances where

public policy would require our intervention." Monmouth Med. Ctr., 460 N.J.

Super. at 591.

      Appeal dismissed.

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