Court Opinion

ID: 9528959
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:45:44.516229+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:27:32.261487
License: Public Domain

Fromme, J.,
dissenting. The opinion of the court acknowledges but ignores the well recognized rule that an appellate court should not substitute its judgment on questions of fact for that of a trial court when there is substantial evidence. The appellate court in making a determination that there is no substantial competent evidence to support the judgment of a trial court is required to consider the evidence in its most favorable light in relation to the party who prevailed in the trial court.
The central fact question decided by the trial court was whether the defendant insurance company was under a duty to further investigate the claim of total disability after receiving the second medical report of Dr. Brown who gave plaintiff a 15-20% impairment of function rating. The trial court found the defendant had a right to rely on this report and other information. This court finds the second report of Dr. Brown was not sufficient to merit reliance and that a good faith investigation of the facts should have thereafter been made independently of the report. I cannot say there was no substantial evidence to support the trial court and I respectfully dissent.