pennsylvania bar association - schmidt kramer, p.c....orsag v. farmers says yes! (march 2011)...

Pennsylvania

Bar Association

Auto Law Update

Jamaica

2015

SCHMIDT KRAMER P.C. 209 State Street • Harrisburg, PA 17101

27 South 34th Street • Camp Hill, PA 17011 717-232-6300 717-888-8888 1-800-232-6301

scooper@schmidtkramer.com

Presentation will be posted at www.schmidtkramer.com

Scott B. Cooper, Esquire

Allstate Prop. & Cas. V. Wolfe

• December 15, 2014

• “We conclude that the entitlement to

assert damages under Section 8371 may

be assigned by an insured to an injured

plaintiff and judgment creditor such as

Wolfe”

Section 1731

• Mandates form

• Can be on same page

• Strict compliance (Bricker p. 29, Webb p.

30)

Section 1734 Written Request for Lower Limits

• Does not contain specific form

• A Named Insured

• Applies throughout entire lifetime of policy

• Check the policy history

• Must be executed by someone with

authority

• Can be application

Is Application Good Enough?

Orsag v. Farmers says YES!

(March 2011)

Limitations of Orsag

• Still must be a writing by insured.

• Still must be authorized signature

• Brittain (p. 32)

• Applies through entire policy

(Henderson p. 32)

Section 1738

Rejection of Stacking

• Applies throughout unless you add a car

• Applies if delete a car

• Applies if replace a car

• “first named insured” must sign

• Applies to corporate but not fleet/antique

policy (Grudkowski p. 34)

• Bumbarger (p. 33)

Household/Family

Car Exclusion

Geico v. Ayers

Regular Use • Catania (p. 35)

• Ciminel (p. 36)

Workers’ Comp Exclusion

• Heller v. Penn. League

Heller Issue

• Whether or not the Honorable Court

should strike down an exclusion in

[Respondents’] policy providing that

any person receiving workers’

compensation benefits was ineligible

for UM/UIM benefits?

Co-Employee

• Erie Insurance v. Conley

Collateral Estoppel

USAA v. Hudson (p. 43)

- Bound by verdict/arbitration

- See also Gallagher v. Ohio Cas. (p. 44)

UM/UIM Trial Court Issue

• Otto v. Erie Ins. Exch. (p. 42) - venue

• Clemens (p. 45) – depositions

• Sharp (p. 46) - discovery

Damages (p. 48)

• Renner v. Progressive (p. 48)

• Pavelko v. Unitrin (p. 48)

• Roth v. Erie Ins. Co. (p. 49)

The End

See Ya

Next Year!