Court Opinion

ID: 9693566
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 16:50:17.824288+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:48.492152
License: Public Domain

*164
Smith, J.,

concurring in part and dissenting in part:

Since I am of the view that the judgment here should be affirmed, I dissent from that portion of the opinion indicating that the judgment is to be affirmed "except as to the sentence imposed.”
It is undisputed here that Maryland Casualty Company stands in the shoes of the victim. I suspect strongly from some prior experience in such matters that there is a policy provision here specifically providing that upon payment to the assured of the damages which he has sustained, his claims against the culprit are assigned to his insurance company. If there is any doubt about this, the case could be remanded to determine that fact.
As recently as when the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment Fund was created by Ch. 836 of the Acts of 1957, the failure to exclude subrogees was interpreted by bench and bar generally as permitting subrogation. Then the General Assembly enacted Chs. 438 and 439 of the Acts of 1961 amending Maryland Code (1957) Art. 66V2, §§ 159 (g) and 159 (I), stating specifically that subrogation claims were excluded. We have no similar exclusionary provision here. In the absence of such, I am of the view that the common sense understanding of the term "victim” would include an insurance company to whom the claim has been assigned by right of subrogation.
I am authorized by Judge Digges to say that he concurs in the views here expressed.