Court Opinion

ID: 9713591
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 05:18:31.425564+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:19.291940
License: Public Domain

STATON, Judge,
concurring in result.
I concur in result, since I consider it error for either the plaintiff or the defendant to mention insurance coverage. Here, there was no objection made to the statement made by defense counsel, and the injection of insurance, from the standpoint of damages, appears to be harmless error. Nevertheless, in the proper case where damages are considerable, the injection of insurance coverage by the defense counsel could invite speculation on the part of the jury as to the defendant’s coverage. For example, a defendant of limited means, heavy financial obligations and a large family to support, may in a particular factual setting invoke sympathies of a jury. Speculation could occur during the jury’s deliberations as to the amount of insurance coverage in an attempt to limit the amount of damages to the insurance coverage of the defendant’s policy. This is probably one reason for the Michigan rule in Felice v. Weinman (1964), 372 Mich. 278, 126 N.W.2d 107. In the proper factual setting and with a proper objection by the plaintiff’s counsel, the injection of insurance coverage could amount to reversible error; therefore, I concur in result.