Negligently Opening a Car Door Found to Fall Within Meaning of "Auto Accident"

AUTO – "AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT" – DUTY TO DEFEND
Henderson v. New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co.
(4th Dept., decided 11/14/2008)

Henderson reenacted, or Monday morning before the NYC medical mills open?



New York Central's insured was sued for personal injuries allegedly caused when he negligently opened his car door and struck the underlying plaintiff. New York Central denied liability coverage under the plaintiffs' personal automobile policy based on its position that the incident was not an "automobile accident", and the plaintiffs commenced this declaratory judgment action for defense and indemnification coverage.

In REVERSING Oneida County Supreme's order granting summary judgment to New York Central and declaring that New York Central has a duty to defend the Hendersons in the underlying personal injury action, the Fourth Department held:

"It is well settled that an insurance company's duty to defend is broader than its duty to indemnify. Indeed, the duty to defend is exceedingly broad and an insurer will be called upon to provide a defense whenever the allegations of the complaint suggest . . . a reasonable possibility of coverage . . . If, liberally construed, the claim is within the embrace of the policy, the insurer must come forward to defend its insured no matter how groundless, false or baseless the suit may be" (Automobile Ins. Co. of Hartford v Cook, 7 NY3d 131, 137 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Seaboard Sur. Co. v Gillette Co., 64 NY2d 304, 310). Here, the complaint in the underlying action alleges negligent conduct covered by the policy issued by NYCM, and thus we agree with plaintiffs that NYCM has a duty to defend them in that action. We reject NYCM's contention that the allegations in the underlying complaint do not fall within the meaning of the term "automobile accident" in the policy. Indeed, the policy does not define that term, and all insurance policies covering vehicles in New York must, at a minimum, cover "injuries to person or property resulting from negligence in the use or operation of such vehicle" (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 388 [1]; see § 388 [4]; see also 11 NYCRR 60-1.1 [a]). We note in any event that the "act of opening the [vehicle] door in order to exit the vehicle constitutes use and operation' of a vehicle pursuant to Vehicle and Traffic Law § 388" (Cohn v Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 286 AD2d 699, 700; see generally Argentina v Emery World Wide Delivery Corp., 93 NY2d 554, 558-561), and thus that act " suggests . . . a reasonable possibility of coverage' " that invokes NYCM's duty to defend plaintiffs in the underlying action (Automobile Ins. Co. of Hartford, 7 NY3d at 137).

The court further erred in declaring that NYCM has no duty to indemnify plaintiffs. As noted, the complaint in the underlying action alleges negligent conduct on the part of James Henderson and, if he accidentally or negligently caused Prave's injuries while opening the driver's door, that event may be considered an "automobile accident" within the meaning of the policy (see generally Argentina, 93 NY2d at 558-560; Cohn, 286 AD2d at 700-701). The remaining evidence submitted by NYCM in support of its cross motion is insufficient to meet its burden of establishing that it has no duty to indemnify plaintiffs (see generally Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d 320, 324), and we thus conclude that the court erred in determining as a matter of law that NYCM had no such duty. Rather, "that determination will abide the trial" in the underlying action (Automobile Ins. Co. of Hartford, 7 NY3d at 138).