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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Wausau Underwriters Insurance v. Old Republic General Insurance

This case addresses a dispute between Wausau Underwriters Insurance Company and Old Republic General Insurance Company concerning their respective obligations to defend and indemnify the "Broadway Defendants" in an underlying personal injury lawsuit. Wausau, providing coverage to the Broadway Defendants, sought a declaratory judgment that Old Republic, as the insurer for construction manager McGowan Builders Inc., was required to provide coverage as the Broadway Defendants were additional insureds. The Court, applying New York law, determined that the injury sustained by a potential subcontractor's employee on the construction site arose from McGowan's "ongoing operations," thus triggering Old Republic's duty to both defend and indemnify. Furthermore, the Court rejected Old Republic's defense of untimely notice, finding no material prejudice to its ability to investigate or defend the claim. Consequently, Wausau's motion for summary judgment was granted, ordering Old Republic to fulfill its defense and indemnification duties and reimburse Wausau for its costs and interest.

Insurance DisputeDeclaratory JudgmentSummary JudgmentDuty to DefendDuty to IndemnifyAdditional InsuredOngoing OperationsConstruction Site InjuryNew York LawLate Notice Defense
References
40
Case No. ADJ3430003 (AHM 0094014)
Regular
Sep 25, 2009

GORDON KENT vs. CONTROL COMPONENTS, INC.; ARROWOOD INDEMNITY COMPANY, OLD REPUBLIC INSURANCE COMPANY

This case involves a dispute over contribution between two insurance carriers, Arrowood Indemnity Company and Old Republic Insurance Company, for a cumulative injury claim. Initially, the arbitrator correctly found Arrowood's petition for contribution untimely for the original award due to failure to file within the statutory one-year period. However, the Appeals Board granted reconsideration, recognizing that Arrowood timely filed its contribution petition within one year of a supplemental award approving a compromise and release agreement for new and further benefits. The Board amended the decision, allowing Arrowood to seek contribution from Old Republic solely for the $25,000 compromise and release settlement and remanding the matter for apportionment of liability.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardContributionReconsiderationLabor CodeCumulative InjuryCompromise and ReleaseSupplemental AwardNew and Further DisabilityArbitrationTimeliness
References
2
Case No. 2025 NY Slip Op 02026
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 03, 2025

Structure Tone, Inc. v. Merchants Preferred Ins. Co.

The Supreme Court properly denied Old Republic's motion for summary judgment due to unresolved questions of fact concerning whether the negligence of its named insured, Port Morris Tile & Marble Corp., was a proximate cause of an underlying accident, which would trigger indemnification by Old Republic. Evidence suggests factual disputes regarding Port Morris's responsibility for ensuring proper lighting and safety for its employees. The court also correctly granted Scottsdale's cross-motion for summary judgment. It found that Old Republic, as the primary insurer with an 'other insurance' provision, is not entitled to contribution from Scottsdale, whose policy contains an 'excess' clause, until Old Republic's coverage has been fully exhausted. The doctrine of collateral estoppel was deemed inapplicable because prior dismissals were not based on findings regarding Port Morris's negligence.

Insurance LawContractual IndemnificationDuty to DefendDuty to IndemnifyOther Insurance ClauseExcess ClauseSummary JudgmentProximate CauseNegligenceRespondeat Superior
References
7
Case No. CA 10-00545
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 10, 2011

HAHN AUTOMOTIVE WAREHOUSE, INC. v. AMERICAN ZURICH INSURANCE COMPANY

Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc. (plaintiff) initiated a breach of contract action against American Zurich Insurance Company and Zurich American Insurance Company (defendants), contending that bills issued under insurance contracts were time-barred. Defendants counterclaimed for damages stemming from plaintiff's alleged breach of these contracts. The Supreme Court partially granted plaintiff's cross-motion, deeming counterclaims for debts arising over six years prior as time-barred. Concurrently, it permitted defendants to utilize a $400,000 letter of credit to satisfy any outstanding debt, including those deemed time-barred. On appeal, the Appellate Division affirmed the use of the letter of credit for time-barred debts, reasoning that the statute of limitations only bars the remedy, not the underlying obligation. The court also affirmed that defendants' counterclaims for debts over six years old were time-barred, as the right to demand payment accrued earlier. Finally, the court modified the order to dismiss plaintiff's second through fourth causes of action. A dissenting opinion argued that the counterclaims were not time-barred, asserting that the cause of action accrued upon demand and refusal of payment, not merely when the right to demand payment existed.

Breach of contractInsurance contractsStatute of limitationsLetter of creditSummary judgmentAppellate reviewContract interpretationTime-barred claimsAccrual of cause of actionRetrospective premiums
References
23
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Nationwide Insurance v. Empire Insurance Group

This case concerns a dispute over insurance coverage. Marcos Ramirez was injured while working for Fortuna Construction, Inc. at premises owned by 11194 Owners Corp. Fortuna had subcontracted work from Total Structural Concepts, Inc. and agreed to add Total Structural as an additional insured on its general liability policy with Empire Insurance Group and Allcity Insurance Company. Ramirez sued 11194 Owners Corp. and Total Structural. Total Structural then commenced a third-party action against Fortuna. Nationwide Insurance Company, as Total Structural's insurer and subrogee, initiated a declaratory judgment action against Empire and Allcity after discovering Total Structural was an additional insured on their policy, demanding coverage for the Ramirez action. The Supreme Court granted Nationwide's motion for summary judgment, but the appellate court reversed, finding that Total Structural failed to provide timely notice of the Ramirez action to Empire and Allcity as required by the policy. The court emphasized that timely notice is a condition precedent to recovery and that lack of diligent effort to ascertain coverage vitiates the policy. Consequently, the appellate court granted Empire and Allcity's cross-motion, declaring they are not obligated to defend or indemnify Nationwide/Total Structural.

Insurance CoverageTimely NoticeCondition PrecedentDeclaratory JudgmentAdditional InsuredSubrogationSummary JudgmentBreach of ContractPersonal InjuryGeneral Liability Policy
References
8
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

GuideOne Specialty Insurance v. Admiral Insurance

This case involves an insurance coverage dispute where Weingarten Custom Homes (WCH) contracted with Torah Academy for construction, designating Torah Academy as an additional insured under WCH's liability policy with Admiral Insurance Company. The Admiral policy had lower coverage limits ($1,000,000) than required by the contract ($2,000,000/$5,000,000), with GuideOne Specialty Insurance Company providing secondary and excess coverage to Torah Academy. After a construction worker's injury led to a $1,225,000 settlement, Admiral paid $1,000,000, and GuideOne paid $225,000. GuideOne then sued Admiral to recover its payment, arguing that a letter signed by Admiral's claims superintendent effectively modified Admiral's policy to higher limits. The appellate court reversed the Supreme Court's decision, ruling that the letter did not constitute a valid policy endorsement and that the policy's unambiguous terms could not be altered by extrinsic evidence, thereby granting Admiral's motion to dismiss GuideOne's complaint.

Insurance Policy DisputeContract InterpretationLiability InsuranceAdditional InsuredPolicy LimitsMotion to DismissAppellate ReversalDocumentary EvidenceExtrinsic Evidence RulePolicy Amendment
References
12
Case No. ADJ10786752
Regular
Jun 18, 2018

Marco Urbina vs. Taylor Walk, Inc., Pacific Compensation Insurance Company, Republic Underwriters Insurance Company

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted removal and rescinded an order that denied a petition for joinder of Republic Underwriters Insurance Company. The WCAB found that the Order Denying Petition for Joinder was not a final order, thus dismissing the petition for reconsideration. The Board determined that Pacific Compensation Insurance Company was prejudiced by the denial, as it prevented them from pursuing contribution from Republic. The case was returned to the trial level for further proceedings consistent with the WCAB's decision.

Petition for ReconsiderationPetition for RemovalPetition for JoinderCompromise and ReleaseLabor Code Section 5500.5Supplemental ProceedingsContribution ProceedingsDue ProcessCumulative Trauma InjuryDiscovery Rights
References
20
Case No. ADJ2435600
Regular
Jun 22, 2011

MARIA JAIME vs. REMEDY TEMP, INC., CALIFORNIA INSURANCE GUARANTEE ASSOCIATION, INTERCARE INSURANCE SERVICES, INC., RELIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY, BASS TECH, INC., REPUBLIC INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board denied Republic Indemnity Company's petition for reconsideration. Republic sought to overturn a decision that found its policy provided "other insurance" and relieved CIGA of liability for the applicant's 1999 spinal and extremity injuries. The Board found Republic failed to prove prejudice from CIGA's joinder, despite Republic's claims of record loss due to delay. Furthermore, the Board determined Republic's policy lacked specific exclusions for special employees and therefore provided coverage.

CIGARepublic IndemnityRemedy TempBrass TechReliance Insurancespecial employeegeneral employerspecial employerlachesprejudice
References
18
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
May 12, 1995

Wausau Underwriters Insurance v. Continental Casualty Co.

This case addresses a dispute between Wausau Underwriters Insurance Company (Wausau) and Continental Casualty Company (Continental), along with The Hartford Insurance Group. Wausau, as the employer's liability carrier for H. Sand & Company, successfully argued that a third-party action by Slattery-Argrett, subrogor of Continental, against H. Sand & Company, constituted an impermissible subrogation claim by an insurer against its own insured. The underlying matter involved a personal injury sustained by an employee of H. Sand & Company. Continental had initially disclaimed coverage for Sand in the third-party action. The Supreme Court granted Wausau's motion for summary judgment, declaring the subrogation action a violation of public policy and awarding Wausau damages. The appellate court affirmed this judgment, distinguishing the present case from prior rulings like *North Star Reins. Corp. v Continental Ins. Co.*, and emphasizing the distinction between claims for indemnification and contribution within insurance policy exclusions.

Subrogation ClaimInsurance Coverage DisputeIndemnification vs. ContributionPublic Policy in InsuranceSummary JudgmentEmployer LiabilityGeneral Liability InsuranceExcess Liability InsuranceConstruction AccidentWorkers' Compensation Carrier
References
9
Case No. 2017 NY Slip Op 04774 [151 AD3d 504]
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 13, 2017

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. v. U.S. Underwriters Insurance Co.

This case concerns an insurance coverage dispute where Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Artimus Construction Corp., Inc., as subrogees, sought coverage from U.S. Underwriters Insurance Company. The Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed the lower court's decision to dismiss the complaint. The court found that the plaintiffs were collaterally estopped from relitigating insurance coverage issues because these matters had been decided in a prior declaratory judgment action. The majority concluded that Nationwide's subrogor, Artimus, and Artimus's subrogor, Armadillo, had a full and fair opportunity to litigate the coverage issues previously. Furthermore, the court held that the doctrine of res judicata also barred the claims, applying a transactional analysis which dictates that all claims arising from the same transaction that could have been raised in prior litigation are precluded.

Insurance CoverageSubrogationCollateral EstoppelRes JudicataAppellate ReviewDeclaratory JudgmentPersonal Injury ActionEmployer Liability ExclusionLate Notice of ClaimPrivity
References
12
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