ÿWPCN …# VUNa %¯ 0(µ4Ýñ w 0J 0T` 0^´ 0h 0rz 0|ì 0†h 0î 1u~ U,ó 0d U,ƒ U>¯ B)í DC AMYU*¦øÐv~È BFvÓc D36 0@i AO©Æø 0D¾ D/ B1˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÀÌÀääÀÀÌ0†(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡nnG 3|xpeÓ€op2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô  ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)< Œ 9p`(ModernP ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Monaco< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d7Border 1dd€- Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial îÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÔ€"ÔÔ€"ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€"XÔÌÌFebruary€28,€1996ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'@ dStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑMonacoÑÑ ÑÒ  BA: T Monaco ÒÒ  BA: T Monaco Ò%%%%'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÓ&€X„d&ÓÑ#€Xd#ÑÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\Ñà@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLEÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌó óà à)ò òÌLUVELL€L.€GLANTON,€ET€AL.,ó óà à)à àDavidson€County€Circuit€CourtÌà à)à àNo.€94C„3329Ì€€€€€Plaintiffs/Appellants.à à)Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àC.€A.€No.€01A01„9506„CV„00275Ìà à)ÌÙ€€Ùò òßL€!# ;+'h|)þ` ç `€€LßSHELBY€INSURANCE€COMPANY,ó óà à)Ìò òET€AL.ó ó,à à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Defendants/Appellees.à à)Ìà à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Circuit€Court€of€Davidson€County€at€Nashville.Ìò òHonorable€Barbara€N.€Haynes,€Judge€ó óÌÌÌÌò òTusca€R.€S.€Alexisó ó,€Nashville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Plaintiffs€/Appellants.ÌÌÌÌò òC.€Hayes€Cooneyó ó,€ÌWATKINS,€McGUGIN,€McNEILLY€&€ROWAN,€Nashville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Defendants/Appellees.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òREVERSED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€ó ó:€(Concurs)Ìò òHIGHERS,€J.€ó ó:€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓÓÓThis€case€is€the€converse€of€the€typical€case€where€the€insured€is€insisting€that€the€insurer€settle€aÏclaim€against€the€insured€within€policy€limits,€thus€protecting€the€insured€from€a€potential€judgmentÏin€excess€of€the€policy€limits.ÌÌà àPlaintiffs,€Luvell€L.€Glanton€and€Luvell€L.€Fisher,€sued€the€defendants,€ShelbyÏInsurance€Company€and€Sharon€Bates,€for€breach€of€contract.€€Glanton€was€insured€with€ShelbyÏon€June€6,€1994€when€his€son,€Luvell€L.€Fisher,€was€involved€in€a€vehicular€accident€with€DanielÏBell.€€The€complaint€alleges€that€Glanton€informed€Shelby€that€he€did€not€want€Shelby€toÏinvestigate€the€complaint€and€that€it€was€his€opinion€that€the€other€party,€Bell,€was€100%€at€fault.€ÏIt€is€further€alleged€that€Sharon€Bates,€an€employee€of€Shelby,€phoned€Glanton€and€advised€himÏthat€she€wanted€to€investigate€the€claim€but€would€not€pay€anything€on€the€claim€without€firstÏconsulting€him.€€Glanton€subsequently€received€a€letter€from€Bates€stating€that€she€had€foundÏLuvell€at€fault,€had€paid€70%€of€the€claim€and€if€he€decided€to€discuss€it€further€he€should€contactÏher.€€It€is€further€alleged€that€Glanton's€insurance€premiums€had€tripled€because€of€the€payment€ofÏthis€claim.€€Defendants€responded€with€a€motion€for€summary€judgment€or€dismissal€with€a€copyÏof€the€policy€attached.€€The€policy€includes€a€provision€which€states€ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àWe€will€pay€damages€for€ò òbodily€injuryó ó€or€ò òpropertyÏdamageó ó€€for€which€any€ò òinsuredó ó€becomes€legally€responsibleÏbecause€of€an€auto€accident.€€Damages€include€prejudgment€interestÏawarded€against€the€ò òinsuredó ó.€€We€will€settle€or€defend,€as€weÏconsider€appropriate,€any€claim€or€suit€asking€for€these€damages.€Ï(Emphasis€in€original.)ÌÌÌÌÓÓThe€trial€court€entered€summary€judgment€in€behalf€of€Defendants€and€Plaintiffs€appeal.€€TheÏissues€presented€are:ÌÌÓÓà8 àà àI.€€Did€the€trial€court€err€in€refusing€to€grant€the€plaintiffs'Ïrequest€for€the€production€of€documents?ÌÌà8 àà àII.€€Did€the€trial€court€err€in€granting€summary€judgmentÏmotion€to€the€defendants?ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àPlaintiffs€moved€the€court€for€an€order€requiring€Defendants€to€produce€recordedÏstatements€of€the€driver€of€the€other€vehicle,€Daniel€Bell.€€The€motion€states€that€the€request€wasÏpursuant€to€Rule€34€T.R.C.P.€and€that€Defendants€had€failed€to€comply.€€The€trial€court€denied€theÏmotion,€stating€that€Plaintiffs€had€the€same€opportunity€to€obtain€Bell's€statement.€€ÌÌà àDecisions€with€regard€to€pretrial€discovery€matters€are€within€the€sound€discretionÏof€the€trial€court.€òòò ò€Benton€v.€Snyderóóó ó,€825€S.W.2d€409,€416€(Tenn.€1992).€€A€party€mayÏdiscover€anything€"relevant€and€not€privileged"€involved€in€the€pending€action.€€Discovery€may€beÏlimited€by€the€court€in€certain€instances,€including€whenever€the€court€determines€that€it€isÏobtainable€from€some€other€source€that€is€more€convenient,€less€burdensome€or€less€expense€or€theÏparty€seeking€discovery€has€had€ample€opportunity€by€discovery€to€obtain€the€information€sought.€ÏRule€26.02€T.R.C.P.€€However,€the€party€opposing€discovery€must€demonstrate€that€limitationsÏbeing€sought€are€necessary€to€"protect€a€party€or€person€from€annoyance,€embarrassment,Ïoppression,€or€undue€burden€or€expense."€€Rule€26.03€T.R.C.P.€€A€trial€court€should€decline€toÏlimit€discovery€if€the€party€seeking€the€limitation€cannot€support€its€request.€€The€trial€court€shouldÏbalance€the€competing€interests€and€hardships€involved€and€consider€whether€less€burdensomeÏmeans€for€acquiring€the€requested€information€are€available.€€If€the€court€limits€discovery,€theÏreasonableness€of€its€order€will€depend€on€the€character€of€the€information€being€sought,€the€issuesÏinvolved€and€the€procedural€posture€of€the€case.€€òòò òDuncan€v.€Duncanóóó ó,€789€S.W.2d€557,€561Ï(Tenn.€App.€1990).ÌÌà àIt€is€the€defendants'€position€that€Plaintiffs€had€ample€opportunity€to€obtain€Bell'sÍstatement€directly.€€They€did€agree€to€furnish€a€transcript€of€Fisher's€recorded€conversation.€€TheÏrecord€before€us€does€not€indicate€any€effort€on€the€part€of€Plaintiffs€to€obtain€Bell's€statement€orÏany€refusal€on€Bell's€part€to€cooperate.€€We€note€that€it€is€not€unlikely€that€a€claimant€such€as€BellÏwould€be€more€apt€to€voluntarily€give€a€statement€to€a€representative€of€the€insurance€company€forÏthe€party€against€whom€the€claim€was€being€made€as€opposed€to€giving€one€to€the€adverse€party.€ÏDefendants€failed€to€demonstrate€sufficient€basis€for€refusing€Plaintiffs'€request€for€production.€ÏTherefore,€we€find€the€trial€court€erred€in€denying€the€motion€to€compel.ÌÌà àThe€policy€language€set€forth€above,€which€states€that€the€insurer€"will€settle€orÏdefend,€as€we€consider€appropriate,"€is€the€cornerstone€of€Defendants'€argument€that€they€areÏentitled€to€summary€judgment.€€In€response€to€the€motion€for€summary€judgment,€Plaintiffs€filedÏthe€affidavit€of€Luvell€L.€Glanton€basically€reiterating€the€allegations€in€the€complaint€concerningÏhis€conversation€with€Ms.€Bates.€€The€affidavit€states€that€Ms.€Bates€stated€to€Mr.€Glanton€that€sheÏmerely€wanted€to€investigate€the€claim€and€would€not€pay€on€the€claim€without€first€consulting€him.ÏThe€affidavit€further€states€that€he€informed€Bates€that€his€son€was€not€at€fault,€he€did€not€want€theÏclaim€to€be€paid€and€he€would€handle€the€claim€himself.€€Her€response€was€to€request€a€letter€fromÏhim€to€this€effect€so€that€Shelby€could€not€be€held€responsible€for€failure€to€pay€or€investigate€theÏclaim€and€he€complied€by€sending€the€letter.€€He€subsequently€received€a€letter€from€her€stating€thatÏshe€had€found€his€son€at€fault€in€the€accident€and€had€paid€70%€of€the€claim.€€Defendants€have€notÏrebutted€this€assertion.€€We€note€that€the€policy€further€provides€"[t]his€policy€contains€all€theÏagreements€between€you€and€us.€€Its€terms€may€not€be€changed€or€waived€except€by€endorsementÏissued€by€us."€€As€a€general€rule,€€parol€evidence€is€not€admissible€at€law€to€vary€the€terms€of€aÏwritten€contract.€€òòò òGalbreath€v.€Harrisóóó ó,€811€S.W.2d€88,€91€(Tenn.€App.€1990).€€However,Ïthese€contractual€provisions€can€be€waived€or€abrogated€by€the€parties,€even€if€the€contractÏprovides€it€can€only€be€modified€in€writing.€€òòò òKnoxville€Rod€and€Bearing,€Inc.€v.€BettisÏCorp.óóó ó,€672€S.W.2d€203,€207€(Tenn.€App.€1983).€€Any€provision€of€the€policy€may€be€waived€byÏacts€of€the€insurer's€agent.€€òòò òBill€Brown€Constr.€Co.€v.€Glens€Falls€Ins.€Co.óóó ó,€818ÍS.W.2d€1,€13€(Tenn.€1991).€€According€to€Glanton's€affidavit,€Ms.€Bates€orally€agreed€to€modifyÏthe€insurance€contract.ÌÌà àSummary€judgment€is€appropriate€if€there€is€no€genuine€issue€as€to€any€material€factÏand€the€moving€party€is€entitled€to€judgment€as€a€matter€of€law.€€Rule€56.03€T.R.C.P.€€InÏdetermining€whether€a€genuine€issue€of€material€fact€exists,€the€trial€court€must€take€the€strongestÏlegitimate€view€of€the€evidence€in€favor€of€the€nonmoving€party,€allow€all€reasonable€inferences€inÏfavor€of€that€party,€and€discard€all€countervailing€evidence.€€If€there€is€a€dispute€as€to€any€materialÏfact€or€any€doubt€as€to€the€conclusions€to€be€drawn€therefrom,€the€motion€is€to€be€denied.€€TheÏburden€is€on€the€movant€to€persuade€the€court€that€no€genuine€and€material€fact€issues€exist.€€OnceÏthis€is€shown€by€the€moving€party,€the€nonmoving€party€must€then€demonstrate,€by€affidavits€orÏdiscovery€materials,€that€there€is€a€genuine,€material€fact€dispute€to€warrant€a€trial.ÌÌà àOur€examination€of€this€record€convinces€us€that€the€Plaintiffs,€through€the€affidavitÏof€Mr.€Glanton,€have€created€a€factual€issue€as€to€whether€the€insurance€contract€was€modified€asÏstated€in€his€affidavit.€€"Whether€a€contract€has€been€modified€by€the€parties€is€a€question€of€fact€forÏthe€trier€of€fact."€€òòò òBaldwin€v.€United€American€Land€Co.óóó ó,€No.€03A01„9508„CH„00250Ï(Tenn.€App.€December€12,€1995)€(citing€17A€Am€Jr€2d€ðð€523).€€Therefore,€the€grant€of€summaryÏjudgment€is€reversed€and€the€cause€remanded€to€the€trial€court€for€further€proceedings€consistentÏwith€this€opinion.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€the€defendants,€for€which€execution€may€issueÏif€necessary.ÌÌÓ` Ü` È“XÓÓÓà à___________________________________Ìà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHIGHERS,€J.€(Concurs)