Court Opinion

ID: 9583274
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:36:53.496391+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:38:54.984361
License: Public Domain

Felton, Chief Judge,
dissenting. I think the petition showed a justiciable issue especially in view of the fact that no general demurrer or motion to' dismiss was filed. It was a jury question, under the allegations of the petition, whether the insured breached the “cooperation” clause of the policy. The agreement to cooperate in such a case means cooperate sincerely and in good faith. The insurance company had the right to introduce evidence on the question of the insured’s cooperation in good faith. Such a conflict in information given to the insurance company certainly might have been found by the jury to be material, and one version to have been given in bad faith unless satisfactorily explained. If the insured failed to cooperate in good faith the insurance company was deprived of the right to *109try to settle the case before an action was filed against the insured. Certainly the insurance company could not be required to prove that it could have succeeded in making a settlement before suits were filed, and it is not unreasonable to- contend that a better settlement .could be made before the filing of suits than afterwards. Surely it had the right to make the effort but was prevented from doing so. I do1 not think that the authorities cited by the majority fit this case or constitute persuasive or valid authority for the conclusion reached. I think the court erred in declaring the rights of the insured without stating what they were and in not submitting the one issue to the jury upon evidence introduced by the parties.
While the following does not pertain in any way to the foregoing dissent, it seems to be fitting to express my opinion on the subject matter involved. Prayer (d) of the petition for declaratory judgment here involved is as follows: “That the court declare the plaintiff’s rights, status and other legal relations with each of the defendants in connection with the policy of insurance in the pending suits and pray that said court enter a judgment declaring that the plaintiff is not bound by reason of the issuance of this policy to pay any damages which may be assessed in one or both of said suits in the event that the court finds that the statements made by the defendants, H. D. Carmical and Charles Thomas Carmical, previous to the filing of said suits are true.” In my judgment this prayer raises an issue which has not been passed upon by the majority opinion. I think it is the duty of this court to pass upon this question regardless of bow unmeritorious the contention of the insurance company may be as to this point. The point is made and my view on it is as follows: Under coverage A, the insurer would be obligated to pay all sums which an insured, under the policy terms, should become legally obligated to pay whether the basis of liability of the son as an insured is based on the named insured’s permission for his son to drive the truck, which would constitute the son an insured, under the policy, or whether the liability of the named insured is based on Ga. L. 1955, p. 454 (Code, Ann., § 68-301), the constitutionality of which has not been decided to this date insofar as we are informed. Both of these questions *110are matters for determination in the trial of the damage actions against the father and son on the issue of their liability and it is not the purpose and intent of the declaratory judgment law to provide for the trial of such issues when it would result in the piecemeal trial of the damage actions. If such were the case half of the issues in the damage actions would be settled by the declaratory judgment action and the questions of negligence, proximate cause, etc., would be decided in the damage actions. Questions relating to' the insurance company’s liability under an insurance policy are not the proper subject matter in a declaratory judgment action if these questions are pertinent and necessary to a determination of the liability of an insured in an action for damages against the insured or insureds in the policy of insurance. Such questions can only be resolved in an action against the insurance company after a finding of liability against the insured. As to this phase of the declaratory judgment proceeding there was no justiciable issue on which the proceeding would be based.