Court Opinion

ID: 9854375
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:06:46.659423+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:02.858198
License: Public Domain

Carley, Judge,
dissenting.
In reversing the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the appellee/insurer in this case, the majority attempts to distinguish the Supreme Court’s decision in Lindsey v. Samoluk, 236 Ga. 171 (223 SE2d 147) (1976). The majority opines that “[i]n Lindsey the only possible language of limitation of the assignment was contained in the recital of consideration, viz., ‘[i]n consideration of and to the extent of payment of . . . ($1,940.29).’ In the instant case, the agreement clearly purported to limit the assignment to the loss actually paid by the insurer. Nothing in Lindsey prohibits only a partial assignment of a claim; the dissent’s application of Lindsey, however, would have precisely that effect.” (Majority opinion, page 425) I respectfully submit that what the majority characterizes as “the only possible language of limitation” was the very language which formed the basis of this Court’s ruling in the Lindsey case, which was reversed on certiorari by the Supreme Court. See Lindsey v. Samoluk, 135 Ga. App. 852, 854 (219 SE2d 464) (1975).
Contrary to the majority’s analysis of Lindsey, it is the Supreme Court’s ruling in Lindsey, and not this dissent’s interpretation thereof, that “prohibits only a partial assignment of the claim.” In Lindsey, the Supreme Court held that “[t]he Court of Appeals erred in not applying the decision of this court in Parker Plumbing &c. Co. v. Kurtz, [225 Ga. 31 (165 SE2d 729) (1969)] to the facts in [Lindsey]. . . .” Lindsey v. Samoluk, supra, 172. The relevant facts in this case are no more distinguishable from those in Lindsey than Lindsey was distinguishable from Parker Plumbing &c. Co. v. Kurtz, supra. It is my opinion that the trial court in this case ruled correctly and, therefore, I respectfully dissent.
I am authorized to state that Chief Judge Birdsong, Presiding Judge McMurray, and Judge Beasley join in this dissent.