OCTOBER 2017 BAD FAITH CASES: BIFURCATION AND STAY OF BAD FAITH CLAIM DENIED ON ALL FOUR CRITERIA, INCLUDING SIMILARITY OF ISSUES, COMMON EVIDENCE, UNDUE EXPENSE TO THE INSURED, AND ABSENCE OF PREJUDICE (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
An underinsured motorist injured the insureds. The tortfeasor’s insurer ultimately tendered $15,000 to the insureds. The insureds’ own UIM policy contained maximum benefits of $100,000, or $200,000 with stacking. The insureds demanded full benefits under the policy.
After investigation, the insurer offered $10,000 to settle the UIM claim. The insureds filed suit in the Court of Common Pleas. The insurer removed the action to federal district court and filed a motion to dismiss. The Court denied the insurer’s motion to dismiss. The insurer then filed a motion to bifurcate the bad faith claim pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42.
In considering a party’s bifurcation motion, courts are careful to consider whether a stay would damage a party. Specifically, courts consider four factors in deciding a Rule 42 motion: “(1) whether the issues are significantly different from each other; (2) whether they require separate witnesses and documents; (3) whether the nonmoving party would be prejudiced by bifurcation; and (4) whether the moving party would be prejudiced if bifurcation is not granted.” The movant bears the burden to show that bifurcation is appropriate.
First, the Court found that the claims are not “so profoundly different” as to justify bifurcation.
The Court ruled that “both claims would utilize similar documents, such as the [insurer’s] claim file, relevant medical evidence . . ., and the [insurer’s] settlement attempts.” In addressing the insurer’s concerns on privileged materials pursuant to the attorney work-product doctrine, the Court ruled that the insurer failed to identify specific documents that enjoy such privilege. Furthermore, the Court reasoned that the insurer is free to file such motions going forward in order to assert its privilege at any time.
The Court held that the insured would suffer economically if the bad faith claim was stayed, because the insured would have to pay its attorney to do twice the work. “Bifurcation would require two discovery periods, double the dispositive motions, and double pre-trial motions.”
Lastly, the Court held that the insurer would not be prejudiced were its motion to bifurcate be denied, because the insurer could simply defeat the bad faith claim by showing a reasonable basis for its settlement offer and investigatory conduct.
In conclusion, none of the four factors weighed in favor of bifurcation and the Court denied the motion to sever and stay the bad faith claim.
Date of Decision: September 18, 2017
Newhouse v. GEICO Cas. Co., No. 4:17-CV-00477, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150793 (M.D. Pa. Sept. 18, 2017) (Brann, J.)
