Birth Center v. St. Paul Companies, Inc.
| Decision Date | 31 December 2001 |
| Citation | 787 A.2d 376,567 Pa. 386 |
| Parties | The BIRTH CENTER v. The ST. PAUL COMPANIES, INC., Sharon Dawson-Coates and Al Afonso, Appeal of The St. Paul Companies, Inc. |
| Court | Pennsylvania Supreme Court |
Thomas P. Wagner, Carl D. Buchholz, Joshua Bachrach, Philadelphia, for The St. Paul Companies, Inc., Nos. 25-26 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
John S.J. Brooks, Michael Bradley, Media, for The Birth Center, Nos. 25-26 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
Carl D. Buchholz, Philadelphia, for St. Paul Companies, Inc., No. 27 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
Thomas P. Wagner, Joshua Bachrach, Philadelphia, for The St. Paul Companies, Inc., No. 27 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
John S.J. Brooks, Michael Bradley, Media, for The Birth Center, No. 27 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
Thomas P. Wagner, Joshua Bachrach, Philadelphia, for The St. Paul Companies, Inc., No. 28 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
Carl D. Buchholz, Philadelphia, for St. Paul Companies, Inc., No. 28 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
John S.J. Brooks, Michael Bradley, Media, for The Birth Center, No. 28 M.D. Appeal Docket 2000.
The St. Paul Companies, Inc. ("St.Paul") appeals from an Order of the Superior Court that reversed the Order of the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County ("trial court"), which granted St. Paul's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The jury found, by clear and convincing evidence, that St. Paul acted in bad faith when it refused to settle a civil action1 against The Birth Center ("Birth Center"), and that St. Paul's bad faith conduct was a substantial factor in causing The Birth Center to incur compensatory damages in the amount of $700,000.00.
We affirm the decision of the Superior Court. Where an insurer refuses to settle a claim that could have been resolved within policy limits without "a bona fide belief ... that it has a good possibility of winning," it breaches its contractual duty to act in good faith and its fiduciary duty to its insured. Cowden v. Aetna Casualty and Surety Company, 389 Pa. 459, 134 A.2d 223, 229 (1957). Therefore, the insurer is liable for the known and/or foreseeable compensatory damages of its insured that reasonably flow from the bad faith conduct of the insurer. The fact that the insurer's intransigent failure to engage in settlement negotiations forced it to pay damages far in excess of the policy limits so as to avoid a punitive damages award, does not insulate the insurer from liability for its insured's compensatory damages where the insured can prove that the insurer's bad faith conduct caused the damages.2
This claim arose out of St. Paul's bad faith refusal to engage in settlement negotiations in the underlying action, Norris. In that case, Gerald and Denise Norris ("Parents") filed suit on November 16, 1986 against Birth Center3 alleging that its negligence during the birth of their daughter Lindsey, caused her to suffer severe physical injury and permanent brain damage. After service of the complaint, The Birth Center turned to St. Paul, its professional liability insurance carrier, for its legal defense.4 St. Paul hired counsel to defend The Birth Center and undertook an investigation of the Parents' claim.
On August 2, 1991, the Parents proposed, on behalf of Lindsey, to settle the case within the limits of The Birth Center's professional liability insurance policy with St. Paul. The Birth Center notified St. Paul that it was making a firm demand to settle the case within its policy limits. On August 7, 1991, St. Paul refused to settle or to even make an offer of settlement.
During the course of an August 8, 1991 pre-trial conference, the presiding judge recommended settlement of Norris within the limits of The Birth Center's insurance policy. Again, St. Paul refused. At a second pre-trial conference, a second judge assigned to the case also recommended settlement within Birth Center's policy limits. The Birth Center demanded settlement in accordance with the judge's recommendation; but St. Paul refused to negotiate or offer any money.
In January of 1992, St. Paul requested the defense attorneys for The Birth Center and one of the doctors involved in Lindsey's delivery to prepare pre-trial reports for St. Paul's consideration. In her report to St. Paul, defense counsel for The Birth Center stated that The Birth Center had, at best, a fifty-percent chance of successfully defending the lawsuit at trial. Furthermore, she advised that the jury verdict could range from $1,250,000.00 to $1,500,000.00. The doctor's defense counsel advised St. Paul that he believed that The Birth Center had a thirty-five percent chance of winning at trial and predicted a jury verdict of $5,000,000.00 to $6,000,000.00.
On January 27, 1992, the executive director of The Birth Center put St. Paul on written notice of the potential for compensatory damages and expressed her deep concerns regarding the possibility of a verdict in excess of Birth Center's policy limits. She explained that such a verdict would have devastating effects upon The Birth Center and could risk its continued existence. When expressing the same concerns to the St. Paul claims representative assigned to the case, the claims representative informed her that St. Paul tries "all of these bad baby cases, and we're going to trial." (N.T. 5/6/96 at 16) (emphasis added).
Before the commencement of the Norris trial, a third judge, who ultimately presided over that trial, held another conference and recommended settlement within The Birth Center's policy limits.5 St. Paul refused to make any offer whatsoever. Then, on February 12, 1993, the Parents made a high/low offer of settlement, in which St. Paul would pay a non-refundable $300,000.00 amount regardless of the verdict. If, however, the jury returned a verdict in excess of Birth Center's policy limits, the Parents agreed to accept the policy limits as total satisfaction of the verdict. Finally, the settlement offer provided that if the jury returned a verdict lower than The Birth Center's maximum coverage, but higher than the low figure of $300,000.00, then the Parents would accept such verdict as full satisfaction of The Birth Center's liability. St. Paul refused this offer of settlement and made no counter-offer.
On February 16, 1993, the day of trial, a final pre-trial conference took place in the robing room of the trial judge. At this time, the Parents reasserted their high/low offer of settlement. The Birth Center expressed its desire that St. Paul agree to the Parents' proposal; but, a representative of St. Paul, present during the discussion in the robing room, rejected the high/ low offer of settlement on the record. Following St. Paul's rejection, the judge stated that he believed that St. Paul's actions were in bad faith and that it was putting its interests ahead of those of its insured. (N.T., 2/16/93, at 15-19).
The Norris trial ensued. After the start of the trial, but before the jury returned a verdict, the trial judge instructed defense counsel for The Birth Center to contact St. Paul to see if it intended to make any offer of settlement. When counsel returned from her telephone conversation with St. Paul, she stated to those present in the robing room: (N.T., 5/3/96, at 69).
On March 4, 1993, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Parents for $4,500,000.00, with The Birth Center liable for sixty percent of that amount. The final verdict was molded to include delay damages and interest and totaled $7,196,238. The Birth Center's ultimate liability amounted to $4,317,743.00. St. Paul agreed to indemnify The Birth Center for the entire verdict and the parties settled the case for $5,000,000. Before St. Paul paid the excess verdict, it requested that The Birth Center sign a release in exchange for the payment, but The Birth Center refused to sign the release. St. Paul paid on September 20, 1993.
On June 3, 1994, The Birth Center sued St. Paul, alleging that St. Paul breached its fiduciary duty to The Birth Center, its implied covenant of good faith, and its contract. The Birth Center also claimed that St. Paul's failure to settle Norris within its policy limits constituted negligence, reckless disregard for the rights of Birth Center, willful and wanton behavior and bad faith pursuant to the Bad Faith Statute, 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 8371.
On May 3, 1996, the trial began. The Birth Center claimed that St. Paul's refusal to engage in reasonable settlement negotiations damaged "its business, reputation and credit." Appellee's Br. at. 11. After the trial, the jury found, by clear and convincing evidence, that St. Paul acted in bad faith and that its actions were a substantial factor in bringing about harm to The Birth Center totaling, $700,000.00 in compensatory damages. The jury did not award punitive damages.
St. Paul moved for judgment notwithstanding the verdict. On February 7, 1997, the trial court6 granted St. Paul's motion. The trial court concluded that St. Paul's payment of the excess verdict nullified Birth Center's bad faith claim, that compensatory damages are not available pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. § 8371, and that, because it believed that it had not charged the jury on the breach of contract claim, that The Birth Center could not recover compensatory damages based on that theory. See The Birth Center v. St. Paul Companies, Inc., No. 94-6492, slip op. at 9 (C.P. Delaware County Aug 11, 1997). The trial court denied The Birth Center's motion for reconsideration. On June 10, 1997, the trial court entered judgment in favor of St. Paul.
On appeal, the Superior Court determined that the payment of the excess verdict did not preclude the award of compensatory...
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