Court Opinion

ID: 9745986
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 13:46:47.552514+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:07.156599
License: Public Domain

PRESIDING JUSTICE MURPHY, specially concurring: I concur in the affirmance of the trial court’s grant of plaintiffs motion for summary judgment and denial of defendants’ cross-motion for summary judgment. While Obenland is principally about the practice of stacking coverage, I agree with the majority that the contract language and facts of this case are in line with the ultimate conclusion in that case. Therefore, I concur that we must apply the ruling from the learned Justice Jiganti in that case to the clear and unambiguous terms of the policy. However, I write separately to express concern raised by an unanswered question presented at oral argument that, with a stronger record, could raise ambiguities in that language. The unanswered question of plaintiff was exactly what benefit the Wagners received for the additional premium that they paid. It was argued that the extra premium was for the split-limit coverage. I must admit that I read the policy several times over before clearly understanding the import of the language. I not only empathize with defendants, but can envision a case where additional facts might render this language ambiguous, but, since I did not find evidence of record to overcome the fact the language of the policy is in line with established law, I concur.