Auto. Alignment & Body Serv., Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., No. 16-13596

• Decision Date: 06 March 2020
• Docket Number: No. 16-15467, No. 16-13601,No. 16-13596
• Citation: 953 F.3d 707
• Parties: AUTOMOTIVE ALIGNMENT & BODY SERVICE, INC., d.b.a. Pitalo Auto Paint & Body, Alexander Body Shop, LLC, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees. Gary Conns Collision Center, Inc., Cross Paint & Body Shop, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees. Alpine Straightening Systems, d.b.a. Alpine Body Shop, A.F. Collision Repair, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Mid-century Insurance Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Eleventh Circuit

953 F.3d 707

AUTOMOTIVE ALIGNMENT & BODY SERVICE, INC., d.b.a. Pitalo Auto Paint & Body, Alexander Body Shop, LLC, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

Gary Conns Collision Center, Inc., Cross Paint & Body Shop, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Fire & Casualty Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

Alpine Straightening Systems, d.b.a. Alpine Body Shop, A.F. Collision Repair, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants,

v.State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Mid-century Insurance Company, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 16-13596

No. 16-13601

No. 16-15467

United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.

March 6, 2020

John Arthur Eaves, Jr., Eaves Law Firm, LLC, JACKSON, MS, Allison P. Fry, Allison P. Fry, Attorney at Law, JACKSON, MS, Mark L. Shurtleff, Shurtleff Law Firm, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Halbert Edwin Dockins, Jr., Ellie F. Turnage, Dockins Turnage & Banks, PLLC, JACKSON, MS, for Plaintiffs - Appellants AUTOMOTIVE ALIGNMENT & BODY SERVICE, INC., d.b.a. Pitalo Auto Paint & Body, ALEXANDER BODY SHOP, LLC, BILL FOWLER'S BODYWORKS, LLC, BOLDEN BODY SHOP, LLC, CLINTON BODY SHOP, INC., CLINTON BODY SHOP OF RICHLAND, INC., CRYSTAL CAR CARE, INC., HYPERCOLOR AUTOMOTIVE RECONDITIONING, INC., d.b.a. Autoworks Collision Specialist, LAKESHORE BODY SHOP, INC., PATRIOT AUTO BODY, LLC, PROTOUCH COLLISION, LLC, d/b/a Boler-Phillips Body Shop, RIDGELAND BODY SHOP, INC., ROY ROGERS BODY SHOP, INC., SMITH BROTHERS BODY SHOP, INC., SMITH BROTHERS COLLISION CENTER, INC., WALKER COLLISION CENTER, INC., BARRY LEWIS, Individually and d/b/a European Coachworks, LTD., MARK COOK, Individually and d/b/a European Coachworks, LTD., CANTON COLLISION, LLC, EAST MCCOMB BODY SHOP, INC., GEORGE CARR BUICK PONTIAC CADILLAC GMC, INC., and B & W BODY SHOP, INC.

Michael P. Kenny, Elizabeth Helmer, Tiffany Lynne Powers, Alston & Bird, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, Daniel D. Birk, Michael L. McCluggage, Eimer Stahl LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Johanna W. Clark, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, PA, ORLANDO, FL, Emerson Barney Robinson, III, Butler Snow, LLP, RIDGELAND, MS, for Defendants - Appellees STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY and STATE FARM FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY.

Jeffrey S. Cashdan, Emily Shoemaker Newton, Claire Carothers Oates, King & Spalding, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, Michael R. Nelson, Kymberly Kochis, Francis X. Nolan, IV, Eversheds Sutherland (US)LLP, NEW YORK, NY, William C. Brabec, Adams and Reese, LLP, JACKSON, MS, Joseph T. Kissane, Cole Scott & Kissane, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Benjamin B. Morgan, Adams and Reese, LLP, RIDGELAND, MS, for Defendants - Appellees PROGRESSIVE GULF INSURANCE COMPANY and PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

Richard L. Fenton, Mark L. Hanover, Dentons US, LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, William C. Griffin, Currie Johnson Griffin & Meyers, PA, JACKSON, MS, Bonnie Lau, Morrison & Foerster, LLP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, for Defendant - Appellee ALLSTATE PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

Robert Bradley Best, Jonathan Stuart Masters, Holcomb Dunbar Watts Best Masters & Golmon, PA, OXFORD, MS, for Defendant - Appellee SHELTER GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

Michael Edward Mumford, Ernest Eugene Vargo, Baker & Hostetler, LLP, CLEVELAND, OH, for Defendants - Appellees SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, LIBERTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, and SAFECO INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA.

Michael Hiram Carpenter, Carpenter Lipps & Leland, LLP, COLUMBUS, OH, for Defendants - Appellees NATIONWIDE MUTUAL INSURANCE CO., NATIONWIDE PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, and NATIONWIDE ASSURANCE COMPANY.

Dan W. Goldfine, Ian M. Fischer, Husch Blackwell, LLP, PHOENIX, AZ, Joshua Grabel, Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, LLP, PHOENIX, AZ, Jamie L. Halavais, Husch Blackwell, LLP, PHOENIX, AZ, for Defendants - Appellees GEICO GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY and GEICO INDEMNITY COMPANY.

Richard L. Fenton, Dentons US, LLP, CHICAGO, IL, for Defendant - Appellee ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY.

John Arthur Eaves, Jr., Eaves Law Firm, LLC, JACKSON, MS, Allison P. Fry, Allison P. Fry, Attorney at Law, JACKSON, MS, Mark L. Shurtleff, Shurtleff Law Firm, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Mark W. Sniderman, Sniderman Nguyen, LLP, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, for Plaintiffs - Appellants Plaintiffs - Appellants GARY CONNS COLLISION CENTER, INC., CROSS PAINT & BODY SHOP, INCORPORATED, DANT. GRATZ BODY SHOP, INC., ENNEKING'S AUTO BODY, INC., EXCEL AUTO BODY, INC., JON'S BODY SHOP, INC., MAIN STREET BODY SHOP, INC., MINTON BODY SHOP, INC., PRESTIGE AUTO BODY REPAIR, INC., KEVIN WELLS, d.b.a KNJ LLC, SOUTHLAKE COLLISION CENTER, INC., TEAM 150, INC., CLARKSVILLE COLLISION CENTER, INC., MATTINGLY COLLISION CENTER, INC., GENERATIONS CUSTOM AUTO & COLLISION, INC., AUTO BODY SPECIALTIES OF LAFAYETTE, INC., BROTHERS BODY AND PAINT OF MORGAN COUNTY, INC., WILKERSON BODY AND FRAME, INC., CLARK AUTOMOTIVE, INC., HARWOOD COLLISION REPAIR, LLC, VOELZ BODY SHOP, INC., MARTIN'S BODY SHOP, INC., JONKMAN GARAGE, INC., and CARL THURMAN, d.b.a. Thurman Body Shop LLC.

Michael P. Kenny, Elizabeth Helmer, Tiffany Lynne Powers, Alston & Bird, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Brent Robert Austin, Daniel D. Birk, Michael L. McCluggage, Eimer Stahl LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Johanna W. Clark, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, PA, ORLANDO, FL, John B. Drummy, Kightlinger & Gray, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, for Defendants - Appellees STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY and STATE FARM GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

Michael P. Kenny, Alston & Bird, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Brent Robert Austin, Daniel D. Birk, Michael L. McCluggage, Eimer Stahl LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Johanna W. Clark, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, PA, ORLANDO, FL, John B. Drummy, Kightlinger & Gray, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, for Defendant - Appellee STATE FARM FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY.

Jeffrey S. Cashdan, Emily Shoemaker Newton, King & Spalding, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Michael R. Nelson, Kymberly Kochis, Francis X. Nolan, IV, Eversheds Sutherland (US)LLP, NEW YORK, NY, Emily Shoemaker Newton, Fields Howell, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Kimberly E. Howard, Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt, PA, FORT MYERS, FL, Joseph T. Kissane, Cole Scott & Kissane, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, for Defendant - Appellee PROGRESSIVE CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

Jeffrey S. Cashdan, Emily Shoemaker Newton, King & Spalding, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Michael R. Nelson, Kymberly Kochis, Francis X. Nolan, IV, Eversheds Sutherland (US)LLP, NEW YORK, NY, Emily Shoemaker Newton, Fields Howell, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Kimberly E. Howard, Henderson Franklin Starnes & Holt, PA, FORT MYERS, FL, Joseph T. Kissane, Paula Anastasia Parker, Cole Scott & Kissane, PA, JACKSONVILLE, FL, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, for Defendant - Appellee PROGRESSIVE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY.

Lori J. Caldwell, Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell, PA, ORLANDO, FL, Richard L. Fenton, Dentons US, LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Bonnie Lau, Morrison & Foerster, LLP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, for Defendants - Appellees ALLSTATE PROPERTY & CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE INSURANCE COMPANY, ALLSTATE INDEMNITY COMPANY, and ALLSTATE VEHICLE & PROPERTY INSURANCE COMPANY.

Brian S. Jones, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, for Defendant - Appellee INDIANA FARMERS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

Thomas W. Curvin, Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, ATLANTA, GA, for Defendant - Appellee ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY and ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS.

Kathy L. Osborn, Ryan Hurley, Sarah Jenkins, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP, INDIANAPOLIS, IN, Michael S. McCarthy, Heather Carson Perkins, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP, DENVER, CO, for Defendant - Appellee AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY.

Ernest Eugene Vargo, Baker & Hostetler, LLP, CLEVELAND, OH, for Defendants - Appellees AMERICAN STATES INSURANCE COMPANY and INDIANA INSURANCE COMPANY.

John Arthur Eaves, Jr., Eaves Law Firm, LLC, JACKSON, MS, Allison P. Fry, Allison P. Fry, Attorney at Law, JACKSON, MS, Mark L. Shurtleff, Shurtleff Law Firm, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Robert Reed Pruyn, Law Office of R. Reed Pruyn, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, for Plaintiffs - Appellants ALPINE STRAIGHTENING SYSTEMS, d.b.a. Alpine Body Shop, A.F. COLLISION REPAIR, INC., PERKS AUTO REPAIR, INC., JENSON ENTERPRISES, INC., B&B AUTO BODY & PAINT, INC., LINDON COLLISION CENTER, L.L.C., J.P.'S CUSTOM BODY & PAINT, INC., d.b.a. J.P.'s Collision Center, DAVE'S BODY SHOP, INC., and CHRIS BODY & PAINT, INC.

Paul M. Belnap, Elizabeth Helmer, Michael P. Kenny, Tiffany Lynne Powers, Alston & Bird, LLP, ATLANTA, GA, Daniel D. Birk, Michael L. McCluggage, Eimer Stahl LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Johanna W. Clark, Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, PA, ORLANDO, FL, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, for Defendant - Appellee STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY.

Eric Hochstadt, John P. Mastando, III, David L. Yohai, Weil Gotshal & Manges, LLP, NEW YORK, NY, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, ORLANDO, FL, D. Matthew Moscon, Lauren A. Shurman, Stoel Rives, LLP, SALT LAKE CTY, UT, for Defendant - Appellee MID-CENTURY INSURANCE COMPANY.

Richard L. Fenton, Mark L. Hanover, Dentons US, LLP, CHICAGO, IL, Lori J. Caldwell, Rumberger Kirk & Caldwell, PA, ORLANDO, FL, Anthony C. Kaye, Emily L. Wegener, Ballard Spahr, LLP, SALT LAKE CITY, UT, Bonnie Lau, Morrison & Foerster, LLP, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Hal Kemp Litchford, Baker Donelson Bearman...