Court Opinion

ID: 9496741
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:34:16.21544+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:57:46.258266
License: Public Domain

BRIGHT, Circuit Judge,
concurring' specially:
I concur in the result but do so on the basis of the well-reasoned opinion of the district judge in this case. Upper Deck Co. v. Federal Ins. Co., No. CIV. 01 CV1413-B, 298 F.Supp.2d 994, 2002 WL 32344339 (S.D.Cal.2002).
In essence, the district judge determined that the insurer in this case was not obligated to defend the three separate lawsuits because Upper Deck, which has the burden to show the policy covers any legal action, has failed to provide facts that show a possibility that the underlying plaintiffs’ injuries were caused by an occurrence (or accident). Id., at 8, 298 F.Supp.2d at 998, 2002 WL 32344339.
The district court concluded that on the evidence provided to the court Upper Deck could not show that “it possibly did not expect or intend that its customers would become ‘hooked’ or in the ‘habit’ of buying its deck of cards.” Id., at 9, 298 F.Supp.2d at 1003, 2002 WL 32344339.
Based on the record and the reasoning of the district court, I agree that this case should be affirmed. I repeat the conclusion of the district court:
If the Court decides the insurer has a duty to defend in this ease, it is hard to imagine a situation where the insurer’s duty to defend would not be triggered. Although the duty to defend is extremely broad, it is not unlimited. As a matter of law, two reasons exist why Upper Deck has failed to show that any bodily injury was caused by an occurrence. First, the insured has failed to meet its burden of proof that it potentially did not expect that its customers would become “hooked” on buying decks of cards. Second, Upper Deck has not shown that any unexpected “happening” caused the injury.
Id., at 12, 298 F.Supp.2d at 1003, 2002 WL 32344339. The district court properly ruled that no duty to defend existed because of the absence of an occurrence or accident rather than on the grounds asserted for affirmance by the majority.