Court Opinion

ID: 9705819
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:22:23.115055+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:16.287543
License: Public Domain

Wright, J.,
concurring.
I concur in the result because under the language of Kratochvil’s policy, Motor Club is not contractually bound to Kratochvil for uninsured motorist coverage benefits. Kratochvil’s policy with Motor Club provided that it would pay damages which a covered person “is legally entitled to recover from the owner or operator of an uninsured motor vehicle because of bodily injury.”
In Carpenter v. Cullan, 254 Neb. 925, 940, 581 N.W.2d 72, 82 (1998), we explained that where the insured failed to bring an action against the underinsured motorist within the statute of limitations, the insured never attained the status of one “legally entitled to collect,” as described in the insured’s underinsured motorist policy. See, also, Lane v. State Farm Mut. Automobile Ins. Co., 209 Neb. 396, 308 N.W.2d 503 (1981) (defining phrase “legally entitled to recover as damages” to mean insured must be able to establish fault on part of uninsured motorist which gives rise to damages).
*990Kratochvil suffered personal injuries in an accident with an uninsured motorist on May 15, 1991. Thus, when Kratochvil brought this action against Motor Club on May 14, 1996, his action against the uninsured motorist was barred by the applicable 4-year statute of limitations. For this reason, in accordance with Carpenter, Kratochvil failed to qualify as a person “legally entitled to collect” from the uninsured motorist. Therefore, Kratochvil does not have a claim under his policy with Motor Club, and I concur in the result.
Connolly and McCormack, JJ., join in this concurrence.