Beck v. Pennsylvania Nat. Mut. Cas. Ins. Co.

• Decision Date: 19 June 1973
• Docket Number: No. 72-681,72-681
• Citation: 279 So.2d 377
• Parties: Charles J. BECK, Jr., et al., Appellants, v. PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL MUTUAL CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, a Pennsylvania corporation, Appellee.
• Court: Florida District Court of Appeals

Page 377

279 So.2d 377

Charles J. BECK, Jr., et al., Appellants, v. PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL MUTUAL CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, a Pennsylvania corporation, Appellee.

No. 72-681.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.

June 19, 1973.

Walton & Garrick, Miami, for appellants.

Frates, Floyd, Pearson, Stewart & Proenza, and Wm. Bruce Harper, Jr., Miami, for appellee.

Before CHARLES CARROLL and HENDRY, JJ., and JOHNSON, DEWEY, M., Associate Judge.

CARROLL, Judge.

On January 19, 1971, the appellants Charles J. Beck, Jr., Edna M. Owen, and William G. Owen, filed an action in the circuit court of Dade County against Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company, herein referred to as the insurer. The complaint charged the defendant insurer with breach of contract by failing and refusing to defend an action brought against Beck. The damages sought were for attorney's fees for defense of an action filed against the plaintiffs by or on behalf of Cassandra Kasprzyk. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant insurer, and the plaintiffs appealed.

On October 18, 1964, Beck, while driving an automobile owned by the plaintiff William Owen, lost control thereof causing a one-car accident resulting in injuries to persons who were passengers in the automobile. One who was seriously injured was Mary M. Brantley. Another injured person was Cassandra Kasprzyk.

On December 23, 1964, the insurer disclaimed liability and gave notice it would not defend any claims arising from said accident. The first action against Beck was one on behalf of Kasprzyk, which was filed January 4, 1965. A second action was filed against Beck on February 26, 1965, on behalf of Brantley. The Brantley action proceeded to judgment on January 27, 1966.

A year thereafter, on April 27, 1967, and prior to trial and entry of judgment in the Kasprzyk case, Beck filed an action in the local federal district court against the insurer, charging breach of contract by the insurer and seeking recovery of his attorney fee expense in defending the Brantley personal injury action. The trial court denied recovery thereof, and Beck appealed. The federal appellate court reversed. In that litigation it was established that Beck was covered as insured under the policy, and Beck obtained judgment against the insurer for his attorney fee expense incurred in defense of the Brantley action. See Beck v. Pennsylvania National Mutual Cas. Ins. Co., 5 Cir.1970, 429 F.2d 813. That opinion contains a detailed statement of the facts, except as to the Kasprzyk action and the outcome thereof and the subsequent proceedings.

Thereafter the Kasprzyk personal injury claim (which as noted above had been filed prior to the Brantley action) was brought to trial and resulted in a judgment entered on November 13, 1968. Approximately two years later, in January of 1971, this action was filed by Beck (and the Owens) against the insurer seeking recovery of attorney fee expense for the defense of the Kasprzyk action.

The defendant insurer answered, contending the prior action by Beck for recovery of expenses for the defense of the Brantley case barred...