Tiffany Roy and Glenda Abate, et al v. Republic
(September 2016)
Devin Fadaol won a victory for Southern Insurance Company (The Republic Group) in the 15th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Lafayette. The trial court granted Southern’s Motion for Summary Judgment on the issue of coverage under a Farm and Ranch Policy. There were two lawsuits with multiple plaintiffs arising out of the same accident and Farm and Ranch Policy. Southern successfully argued that the subject policy unambiguously excluded coverage for bodily injury or property damage arising out of the operation of a personal pick-up truck. The plaintiff filed a cross-motion claiming that there is coverage because of a conflict between the definitions of “motor vehicle” and “non-farm vehicle.” The trial court judge accepted Southern’s position that there is no ambiguity in the policy, and held that the pick-up truck falls under all three definitions of motorized vehicle, motor vehicle, and non-farm vehicle. The trial court judge dismissed Southern Insurance Company from both lawsuits.