Kermans v. Pendleton, 233 N.W.2d 658 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975). · Go Syfert
Kermans v. Pendleton, 233 N.W.2d 658 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
98 citation events (4 in the last 25 years) across 16 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Upjohn Co. v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. (miwd, 1991-01-18)
Treatment trajectory · 1977 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1977 2001 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 13 distinct citers.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Upjohn Co. v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.
W.D. Mich. · 1991 · confidence medium
Furthermore, the law on late notice suggests that in determining whether prejudice has occurred, courts have considered whether the delay prevented the insurer 1) from adequately investigating the accident or occurrence, see Wehner, 331 Mich. at 122 , 49 N.W.2d 87 ; Kermans, 62 Mich.App. at 582 , 233 N.W.2d 658 ; 2) from participating in settlement negotiations, Kermans, at 582, 233 N.W.2d 658 ; Bibb v. Dairy Land Insurance Co., 44 Mich.App. 440, 446 , 205 N.W.2d 495 (1973); or 3) from protecting its rights to pursue claims against third parties, Grand Rapids Auctions, 23 Mich.App. at 395 , 17…
cited Cited as authority (rule) Greenman v. Michigan Mutual Insurance
Mich. Ct. App. · 1988 · confidence medium
This Court noted that but for the business pursuit "the shooting would not have occurred.” Kermans , 579.
cited Cited as authority (rule) USAA Casualty Insurance v. Schneider
E.D.N.Y · 1985 · confidence medium
Put another way, “but for this business pursuit, the [altercation] would not have occurred.” Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich.App. 576 , 233 N.W.2d 658, 660 (1975).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) American Record Pressing Co. v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. (2×) also: Cited "see"
S.D.N.Y. · 1979 · confidence medium
ARP’s failure to give the required “immediate” notice does not bar its recovery since under Michigan law such a provision is interpreted to require only notice within a “reasonable time.” Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich.App. 576, 582 , 233 N.W.2d 658, 661 (Mich.App.1975), citing Wendel v. Swanberg, 384 Mich. 468 , 185 N.W.2d 348 (1971); Kennedy v. Dashner, 319 Mich. 491 , 30 N.W.2d 46 (1947).
discussed Cited "see" Transamerica Insurance v. Anderson (2×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
Mich. Ct. App. · 1987 · signal: see · confidence high
See Kermans, supra, and Farm Bureau Mutual Ins Co v Rademacher, 135 Mich App 200 ; 351 NW2d 914 (1984).
cited Cited "see" Wood v. Duckworth
Mich. Ct. App. · 1986 · signal: see · confidence high
See Kermans v Pendleton, 62 Mich App 576, 581-582 ; 233 NW2d 658 (1975).
discussed Cited "see" Allstate Insurance v. Sherrill (2×)
E.D. Mich. · 1983 · signal: see · confidence high
See Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich.App. 576 , 233 N.W.2d 658 (1975) (act in shooting bar patron clearly establishes intent to harm), Group Insurance Co. v. Morelli, 111 Mich. App. 510 , 314 N.W.2d 672 (1981) (assault and battery by insured establishes intent to harm), Wright v. White Birch Park, 118 Mich.App. 639 , 325 N.W.2d 524 (1982) (assault and battery by insured establishes intent to harm.) In response, Sherrill claims that his acute voluntary intoxication resulted not only in an inability to form the intent to harm, but that he lacked the capacity to intentionally act.
examined Cited "see" Fire Insurance Exchange v. Berray (4×)
Ariz. Ct. App. · 1983 · signal: see · confidence high
See Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich.App. 576 , 233 N.W.2d 658 (1975) and Farmer’s Ins.
cited Cited "see" Group Insurance v. Morelli
Mich. Ct. App. · 1981 · signal: see · confidence high
See Burton v Travelers Ins Co, 341 Mich 30 [ 67 NW2d 54 ] (1954), and Putman v Zeluff, 372 Mich 553 [ 127 NW2d 374 ] (1964).” Kerman, supra, 580 .
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. v. Pasiak (2×)
Conn. · 2017 · signal: see also · confidence low
App. 341, 342, 350 , 589 P.2d 817 (1979) (killing of one business associate and wounding of another fell within exclusion when altercation arose over business matter and took place on business site during business hours); see also Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich. App. 576, 579 , 233 N.W.2d 658 (1975) (exclusion applied when insured owner of bar shot patron because owner ‘‘was engaged in his business pursuit at the time of the shoot- ing and . . . but for this business pursuit, the shooting would not have occurred’’; shooting incident was related to physical safety of bar and its patrons)…
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Nationwide Mutual Ins. Co. v. Pasiak (2×)
Conn. · 2017 · signal: see also · confidence low
Co. v. Brannan , 22 Wn.App. 341 , 342, 350, 589 P.2d 817 (1979) (killing of one business associate and wounding of another fell within exclusion when altercation arose over business matter and took place on business site during business hours); see also Kermans v. Pendleton , 62 Mich.App. 576 , 579, 233 N.W.2d 658 (1975) (exclusion applied when insured owner of bar shot patron because owner "was engaged in his business pursuit at the time of the shooting and ... but for this business pursuit, the shooting would not have occurred"; shooting incident was related to physical safety of bar and its…
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Steelcase, Inc. v. American Motorists Insurance Company and Guaranty National Insurance Company (2×)
6th Cir. · 1990 · signal: see also · confidence low
See also Kermans v. Pendleton, 62 Mich.App. 576 , 233 N.W.2d 658 (1975) (affirming summary judgment for insurer on issue of prejudice); Ward v. Travelers, No. 86-1694 (6th Cir. December 7, 1987) (unpublished per curiam) (same). 17 Second, Steelcase proposes the rule that in order for an insurer to show prejudice, it must show that but for the delayed notice, it would likely have prevailed on the merits.
cited Cited "see, e.g." Reynolds v. Allstate Insurance
Mich. Ct. App. · 1983 · signal: compare · confidence low
Compare, for example, Kermans v Pendleton, 62 Mich App 576 ; 233 NW2d 658 (1975) (policy required notice of loss "as soon as practicable”).
Kermans
v.
Pendleton
Docket 20368.
Michigan Court of Appeals.
Jul 21, 1975.
233 N.W.2d 658
Louis Demás, for plaintiffs., Garan, Lucow, Miller, Lehman, Seward & Cooper, P. G, (by John C. Patrick, Jr.), for garnishee-defendant Allstate Insurance Company.
Burns, Cavanagh, O'Hara.
Cited by 41 opinions  |  Published
T. M. Burns, P. J.

On or about August 30, 1970, [1] Gene Blair Pendleton was the owner and operator of the Neighborhood Inn, located in Detroit, Michigan. During that evening, plaintiff Odell Kermans was a patron in the inn. At approximately 2 a.m., defendant Pendleton shot and wounded the plaintiff. As a result of the shooting, plaintiff and his wife filed suit in Wayne County Circuit Court against Gene Pendleton, d/b/a Neighborhood Inn, and on March 28, 1973, a consent judgment in the[*578] amount of $101,000 was entered against Gene Pendleton, d/b/a Neighborhood Inn, in favor of plaintiffs.

Subsequent to the consent judgment, defendant Pendleton filed a voluntary petition in bankruptcy in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, listing the plaintiffs’ claim as a debt. Defendant was adjudicated a bankrupt on April 12, 1973, and was discharged in bankruptcy on August 17, 1973.

Seeking to collect the $101,000 from some available source, plaintiffs caused a writ of garnishment to be issued against Allstate Insurance Company (hereinafter Allstate) on May 31, 1973. Allstate denied liability on the basis of exclusions contained in the homeowner’s policy issued to defendant. At the trial court, both plaintiffs and Allstate filed motions for summary judgment. On April 17, 1974, the trial court filed an opinion in which it found that plaintiffs had no cause of action against Allstate. In accordance with that opinion, an order granting summary judgment in favor of Allstate and against the plaintiffs was filed on April 25, 1974. This appeal followed.

Plaintiffs claim that the trial court erred in granting Allstate’s motion for summary judgment. Plaintiffs argue that the trial court erred in finding that the exclusions contained in the homeowner’s policy were applicable to this case. We disagree.

The insurance policy in question provides in pertinent part as follows:

"COVERAGE X
"Family Liability Insurance
"Division 1 — Personal Liability.
"Allstate will pay for an Insured all damages which[*579] the Insured shall become legally obligated to pay because of:
"1. bodily injuries sustained by any person
"EXCLUSIONS
"This Section II does not apply:
"1(a) to any business pursuits of an Insured, except activities therein which are ordinarily incident to the nonbusiness pursuits, but this subdivision (a) shall not apply to the occasional or part-time business pursuits of an Insured who is a student under 18 years of age;
"(c) to any act or omission in connection with premises, except as defined, which are owned, rented or controlled by an Insured, but this subdivision (c) shall not apply with respect to bodily injury sustained by a residence employee arising out of and in the course of his employment by an Insured;
"3. Under Divisions 1 and 2 of Coverage X and Coverage Y, to bodily injury or injury to or destruction of property caused feloniously or intentionally by or at the direction of an Insured * * * ”.

As to the business-pursuit exclusion, we agree with the trial court’s finding that defendant Pendleton was engaged in his business pursuit at the time of the shooting and that but for this business pursuit, the shooting would not have occurred. The gun was kept in the bar and linked to it. As the trial court pointed out, the shooting incident was related to the physical safety of the bar and its patrons. Therefore the trial court’s finding that exclusion 1(a) of the policy applies to this case was correct.

The trial court, in reference to exclusion 3 of the policy, opined that under the facts and circumstances of this case, plaintiffs’ distinction between intended felonious acts and unintended felonious[*580] results was a distinction without a difference. Plaintiffs, relying upon Hawkeye Security Insurance Co v Shields, 31 Mich App 649; 187 NW2d 894 (1971), and Vermont Mutual Insurance Co v Dalzell, 52 Mich App 686; 218 NW2d 52 (1974), contend that exclusion 3 is inapplicable because the aforementioned distinction does not exist in the case at bar. We find the trial court’s reasoning more persuasive. Hawkeye and Dalzell are distinguishable in that in those cases, while the actions of the defendants were intentional, the results produced by those acts were not. Here, the trial court found that both the act and the result were intentional when it said:

"There was no allegation of self-defense or accident on behalf of the Principal Defendant, and this Court has no difficulty in determining that where there is no allegation of provocation, negligence or accident, that the pointing of a firearm at another human being and discharging same is of itself an intentional act, and one whereby the actual result could be anticipated, and thus outside the scope of the instant policy. See Burton v Travelers Insurance Co 341 Mich 30 [67 NW2d 54] (1954), and Putman v Zeluff, 372 Mich 553 [127 NW2d 374] (1964).”

Therefore, we hold that the trial court correctly held exclusion 3 applicable to this case.

Although we have resolved the first two questions in Allstate’s favor, we find it desirable to comment on another issue raised by the plaintiffs, namely, whether defendant Pendleton’s failure to comply with the notice requirements of the insurance policy prejudiced Allstate.

The policy provides in relevant part as follows:

[*581] "CONDITIONS
"4. Notice: In the event of accident or occurrence, written notice containing all particulars shall be given by or for the Insured to Allstate as soon as practicable. If claim is made or suit is brought against the Insured, he shall immediately forward to Allstate every demand, notice, summons or other process received by him or his representative.
"5. Action Against Allstate: No action shall lie against Allstate until after full compliance with all the terms of this policy applicable to Section II * * * .
"7. Assistance and Cooperation: Under Coverage X, the Insured shall cooperate with Allstate, disclosing all pertinent facts known or available to him, and upon Allstate’s request shall attend hearings and trials, and shall assist in effecting settlements, securing and giving evidence and obtaining the attendance of witnesses, and in the conduct of suits.” (Emphasis added.)

Allstate was not served with notice of this action until service of the writ of garnishment, almost 3 years after the shooting. The purpose of provisions in insurance contracts requiring the insured to give the insurer prompt notice of accident or suit is to allow the insurer to make a timely investigation of the accident in order to evaluate claims and to defend against fraudulent, invalid or excessive claims. Wendel v Swanberg, 384 Mich 468, 477; 185 NW2d 348 (1971), Wehner v Foster, 331 Mich 113; 49 NW2d 87 (1951). Mere delay in giving the required notice does not result in a forfeiture since such provisions have been interpreted to require notice within a reasonable time. Wendel, supra, Kennedy v Dashner, 319 Mich 491; 30 NW2d 46 (1947). Prejudice to the insurer is a material element to be considered in determining whether notice is reasonably given, Wendel, supra, Wehner, supra, and the insurer has the burden to[*582] demonstrate such prejudice. Wendel, supra, Kennedy, supra.

Applying these principles to the case at bar, we are of the opinion that the trial court correctly found that Allstate was materially prejudiced by defendant Pendleton’s failure to comply with the policy’s notice provision when it stated:

"It would appear that the Garnishee Defendant had no opportunity for physical examination of the Plaintiff to determine the nature of the injuries, no opportunity to determine if there was a viable affirmative defense; nor indeed the opportunity to determine whether or not there was an obligation to defend, which would have given the Garnishee Defendant the opportunity and option of protecting its interests with a reservation of rights. * * * It would also appear to this Court that the decision of the Principal Defendant to consent to a judgment might not have been consented to by the Garnishee Defendant were it aware of such an action.”

For all the reasons stated herein, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. Costs to garnishee defendant.

1

At the time of the shooting incident, the garnishee-defendant, Allstate Insurance Company, had issued a homeowner’s policy to the Pendletons covering their home at 15011 Harrison, Allen Park, Michigan.