ÿWPCy …4Vj 0(y¡w@© 0lé 0DU 0J™ 0Tã 0^7 0h• 0rý 0|o 0†ë 0q 1u 0dv UBÚ % U 6" B)X DC BÄ AMá U*.XÏpB? D35´Zé 0@Cv~ƒvÓ AOÔÆ# 0Dé D/- B\ƒ‰"ÔøÔô3|xm($¡¡ YDZ[D\]^E_`DabÓ€((3úÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 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)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ<þ6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX< Œ 9p`(Courier New% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd d€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€&ÔÔ€&ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€&XÔÌÌò òApril€28,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€&ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó ÅÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€Ô€!ôÔHunley€died€in€June€of€1995.Ì 8Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€Ô€!ôÔCrawford€Door€Company€filed€a€bankruptcy€petition€on€May€2,€1984,Ïaà0 àand€the€bankruptcy€was€converted€to€a€Chapter€7€on€March€20,€1985.Ì$$$$'ÿÿdxd +Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  Ý€€Ô€!ôÔMullins€states€that€Seaborg€failed€to€exercise€the€required€standard€à0 àof€care€once€the€suit€was€filed€by€not€communicating€with€Crawford€Door€afterÏfiling€suit,€conducting€no€discovery,€conducting€no€investigation€of€theÏstatus€of€Crawford€Door,€not€taking€a€default€judgment.€€She€faults€Poole€forÏfailing€to€contact€anyone€representing€Crawford€Door€before€or€after€refilingÏthe€suit,€conducting€no€discovery,€conducting€no€investigation€of€the€statusÏof€Crawford€Door,€not€attempting€to€take€a€default€judgment€until€two€yearsÏafter€the€company€was€in€default,€and€taking€no€action€in€the€bankruptcy€caseÏon€the€Norrisðð€behalf.Ì PÝ ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝÔ€!ôÔHunleyððs€actions€buttress€his€statement.€€He€failed€to€notify€hisÏà0 àinsurer€when€he€received€the€letter€and€when€he€was€twice€served€withÏsuits€for€the€claim.Ì("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  ÒPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÒ Ü ÒÒ ° ÒÑ ý ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€ªXXdÈdÈ7ÑÙ€€ÙßR€%'#A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌ€€€à@ àò òIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àEASTERN€SECTIONÌó óÌÌÌTERRY€NORRIS€and€wife,à àà à)€C/A€NO.€03A01„9611„CV„00373ÌMELISA€NORRIS,à àà àà àà à)€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HAMILTON€CIRCUITÌà àPlaintiffs„Appellants,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)€HON.€THOMAS€A€GREER,€JR.,Ìv.à àà àà àà àà àà à)€JUDGE€BY€DESIGNATIONÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌJON€P.€SEABORG,€DON€W.€POOLE,à à)ÌPHILLIP€C.€LAWRENCE,€HERBERTà à)ÌA.€THORNBURY,€W.€LLOYD€à àà à)ÌSTANLEY,€JR.,€and€JOHN€R.€à à)ÌMORGAN,€individually€and€asà à)Ìpartners€doing€business€underà à)Ìthe€name€and€style€of€POOLE,à à)ÌLAWRENCE€&€THORNBURY;€POOLE,à à)ÌLAWRENCE,€THORNBURY€&€STANLEY;)Ìand€POOLE,€LAWRENCE,€à àà à)ÌTHORNBURY,€STANLEY€&€MORGAN,à à)€AFFIRMEDÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)€ANDÌà àDefendants„Appellees.à à)€REMANDEDÌÌÌÌTAYLOR€W.€JONES,€and€LINDA€R.€GREER,€JONES€COPELAND€LEFKOWITZ€&ÏGREER,€Atlanta,€and€EDWIN€Z.€KELLY,€JR.,€KELLY,€KELLY€&€GOUGER,ÏP.C.,€Jasper,€for€Plaintiffs„Appellants.ÌÌE.€BLAKE€MOORE€and€JOHN€B.€BENNETT,€SPEARS,€MOORE,€REBMAN€&ÏWILLIAMS,€Chattanooga,€for€Defendants„Appellees.ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóóó óÌÌà@ àòòÌÓÓóóà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àà àFranks.€J.ÌÌà àà àIn€this€legal€malpractice€action,€the€Trial€CourtÏgranted€defendants€summary€judgment€and€plaintiffs€haveÏappealed.Ìà àà àPlaintiff„Appellant€Terry€Norris€was€allegedly€injuredÏon€February€14,€1984,€by€a€piece€of€wood€which€fell€from€hisÏemployerððs€garage€door.€€Defendant„Appellee€Jon€Seaborg€wasÏretained€by€Norris€to€represent€him€in€a€workerððs€compensationÏclaim€against€his€employer€and€in€a€negligence€action€againstÏCrawford€Door€Company.€€This€action€is€based€upon€œSeaborgððsÏallegedly›€negligent€representation€of€Norris€in€the€suit€againstÏCrawford€Door€Company.Ìà àà àA€letter€dated€May€10,€1984€was€sent€by€Seaborg€to€theÏPresident€of€Crawford€Door,€Arthur€Hunley× ƒ( ××  ×.€Hunley€in€hisÏaffidavit€executed€in€1989,€stated€that€he€had€received€a€letterÏfrom€Seaborg,€but€could€not€be€certain€that€the€letter€exhibitedÏwas€the€actual€letter.€€He€stated€that€he€explained€to€Mr.ÏSeaborg€in€a€telephone€conversation€that€he€ð ðmade€it€plain€toÏMr.€Seaborg€that€I€did€not€feel€there€was€any€liability€on€myÏcompanyð ð,€and€had€no€recollection€of€whether€anything€concerningÏliability€insurance€was€discussed.€€But,€he€was€ð ðcertainð ð€thatÏhe€did€not€mention€that€the€company€had€filed€for€bankruptcy.× ƒ) ××  ×€ÏSubsequently,€in€May€of€1993,€Hunley€gave€his€deposition€andÏstated€that€during€the€conversation€with€Seaborg,€SeaborgÏadvised€that€he€was€not€going€to€take€the€case€and€not€to€payÍany€attention€to€ð ðanything€elseð ð.€€Ìà àà àIn€his€affidavit€Seaborg€states€that€he€sent€theÏletter€of€May€10,€1984€to€Hunley,€which€letter€concludes:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 àPlease€forward€this€notice€of€our€intent€to€pursueÏthis€claim€to€your€insurance€carrier€or€else€contactÏme€at€your€earliest€convenience€for€furtherÏdiscussion.ÌÌÓÓIn€a€matter€of€days,€Arthur€L.€Hunley,€Jr.,€President€ofÏCrawford€Door,€called€Seaborg€in€response€to€the€letter.€€HunleyÏstated€that€Crawford€Door€Company€of€Chattanooga€had€noÏliability€insurance€to€cover€the€accident.€€Seaborg€opined€thatÏhe€had€no€reason€to€question€Hunleyððs€statement€that€there€wasÏno€insurance.€€€Ìà àà àOn€March€11,€1988,€plaintiff€Norris€examined€theÏbankruptcy€records€and€found€the€name€of€Crawfordððs€insuranceÏcompany€listed.€€The€insurance€company€was€then€finally€notifiedÏon€July€28,€1988.€€œIn€a€separate€suit,€the›€insurance€companyÏsuccessfully€defended€against€œcovering€the›€claim€because€of€theÏlack€of€timely€notice.€€Ìà àà àThis€malpractice€action€was€filed€in€July€of€1991.€TheÏTrial€Court€granted€summary€judgments€for€defendants€on€theÏground€that€Crawford€Door€had€failed€to€give€notice€of€the€claimÏwithin€the€time€required€by€its€policy€of€insurance.€€NotingÏthat€the€Tennessee€Rules€of€Procedure€provide€no€method€forÏdiscovering€the€existence€of€insurance,€the€Court€found€that€theÏtime€for€notice€had€expired€long€before€either€of€the€lawyersÍwere€aware€of€the€bankruptcy€or€could€have€discovered€theÏexistence€of€the€insurance€policy.€€Accordingly,€he€held€thatÏany€subsequent€failure€of€lawyers€to€discover€the€existence€ofÏthe€insurance€was€immaterial.Ìà àà àCrawford€Doorððs€insurance€policy€contained€theÏfollowing€provision:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 à(a)€In€the€event€of€an€occurrence,€written€noticeÏcontaining€particulars€sufficient€to€identify€theÏinsured€and€also€reasonable€attainable€informationÏwith€respect€to€the€time,€place€and€circumstancesÏthereof€and€the€names€and€addresses€thereof€injuredÏand€of€available€witnesses€shall€be€given€for€theÏinsured€to€the€company€or€any€of€its€authorized€agentsÏas€soon€as€practicable.ÌÌà0 àà0 à(b)€If€claim€is€made€or€suit€is€brought€against€theÏinsured,€the€insured€shall€immediately€forward€to€theÏcompany€every€demand,€notice,€summons€or€other€processÏreceived€by€him€or€his€representative.ÌÌÓÓà àà àThis€contractual€requirement€of€notice€to€the€insurerÏis€a€condition€precedent€to€recovery€under€a€policy.òò€€Lee€v.ÏLeeóó,€732€S.W.2d€275€(Tenn.€1987).€€The€notice€must€be€givenÏpromptly€when€a€reasonable€and€prudent€person€would€believe€thatÏan€accident€could€give€rise€to€a€claim€for€damages.òò€€Id.óó€at€276.Ìà àà àWe€review€summary€judgments€òòde€novoóó€with€noÏpresumption€of€correctness.€€T.R.A.P.€Rule€13(d).€€Where€thereÏis€no€genuine€issue€of€the€material€fact€the€Trial€Court€mayÏgrant€summary€judgment.€€T.R.C.P.€56.03.òò€€óóIn€considering€theÏmotion,€the€Court€must€take€the€evidence€in€the€light€mostÏfavorable€to€the€non„moving€party.€€òòByrd€v.€Hallóó,€847€S.W.2dÍ208,€210„211€(Tenn.€1993).€€Ìà àà àUnder€this€standard,€Hunleyððs€became€aware€of€theÏincident€when€he€received€the€letter€of€May€10,€1984€fromÏSeaborg.€€Tennessee€requires€that€notice€of€an€incident€be€givenÏto€an€insurer€even€if€the€insured€believes€no€harm€was€caused€orÏno€suit€will€result.€òò€€Nationwide€Mutual€Insurance€Company€v.ÏShannonóó,€701€S.W.2d€615,€620€(Tenn.€App.€1985).€€If€no€notice€isÏgiven€within€a€reasonable€time,€an€insurance€company€may€refuseÏto€provide€coverage€for€lack€of€notice.€€òòAllstate€Ins.€Co.€v.ÏWilsonóó,€856€S.W.2d€706€(Tenn.App.€1992).€€à àà àHunley€hadÏreasonable€grounds€to€believe€a€claim€might€arise€againstÏCrawford€Door€once€Seaborgððs€letter€was€received.€€He€later€saidÏthat€the€letter€meant€ð ðthat€they€was€suing€me.ð ð€[sic].€€UnderÏthe€terms€of€the€policy,€he€was€required€to€give€notice€to€hisÏinsurer€as€soon€as€practicable€and/or€immediately.€€Such€termsÏgenerally€require€that€notice€be€given€within€a€reasonable€timeÏunder€the€circumstances€of€the€case.€€òòWhaley€v.€Underwoodóó,€922ÏS.W.2d€110,€113€(Tenn.€App.€1995).€€Ìà àà àThe€elements€of€a€legal€malpractice€claim€are€theÏemployment€of€the€attorney,€negligent€breach€of€a€duty€owed€byÏthe€attorney€to€the€client,€and€damages€resulting€from€suchÏnegligence.òò€€Blocker€v.€Dearborn€and€Ewingóó,€851€S.W.2d€825,€827Ï(Tenn.€App.€1992).€€Expert€testimony€is€required€to€establishÏthe€professional€duty€owed€in€a€malpractice€case.òò€€Cleckner€v.ÍDaleóó,€719€S.W.2d€535,€540€(Tenn.€App.€1986).€€Ìà àà àPlaintiffs€filed€the€affidavit€of€Kimbrough€Mullins,Ïwhich€addresses€only€those€actions€that€should€have€been€takenÏafter€suit€was€filed€in€February,€1985€and€Crawford€Door€failedÏto€respond.× ƒ+ ××  ×€€The€affidavit€of€William€Schwall€takes€issue€withÏSeaborgððs€general€ð ðfailure€to€investigateð ð€by€not€ascertainingÏthe€names€of€witnesses€and€looking€into€the€strengths€of€theÏNorrisðð€claim€against€Crawford€Door.€€Schwall€emphasizes€that€itÏis€important€to€encourage€a€Defendant€to€contact€his€insurer.€ÏFinally,€Schwall€states€that€failure€to€sue€a€possibly€solventÏcorporation€solely€because€they€do€not€have€insurance€isÏnegligence.€€He€states€that€suit€should€have€been€filed€withoutÏa€delay€of€nine€months.Ìà àà àHunleyððs€actions€indicate€that€he€at€no€time€had€anyÏintention€of€notifying€his€insurer.€€Neither€does€the€statementÏthat€the€suit€should€have€been€filed€earlier,€assist€theÏplaintiff.€€There€is€simply€no€basis€to€infer€that€Hunley€wouldÏhave€reported€the€matter€to€his€insurance€carrier€if€suit€hadÏbeen€filed€at€any€given€time.€€The€corporation€had€filed€forÍbankruptcy€and€Hunley€states€unequivocally€in€the€record€why€heÏdid€not€give€notice€of€this€claim€to€his€insurer,€which€reason,Ïhowever€specious,€is€not€in€dispute.€€In€his€deposition,€HunleyÏtestified:ÌÓÓà0 àà0 àQ.à0 àWhat€did€you€do€about€his€[Terry€Norrisðð]€claimsÏafter€the€conversation€with€Mr.€Seaborg?ÌÌà0 àà0 àA.à0 àAbout€whose€claims?ÌÌà0 àà0 àQ.à0 àMr€Norris?ÌÌà0 àà0 àA.à0 àI€didnððt€do€nothing.€€I€didnððt€have€no€claims.€ÏI€didnððt€even€call€the€insurance€company.ÌÌà0 àà0 àQ.à0 àAll€right.€€Did€you€not€feel€that€you€had€aÏresponsibility€„„ÌÌà0 àà0 àA.à0 àNo,€maððam.ÌÌà0 àà0 àQ.à0 à„„€to€call€the€insurance€company?ÌÌà0 àà0 àA.à0 àNo,€maððam,€absolutely€not.ÌÌà0 àà0 àQ.à0 àOkay.€€Why€not?ÌÌà0 àà0 àA.à0 àBecause€the€man€[Norris]€is€lying,€thatððs€theÏreason.ÌÌÓÓHunley€concluded€that€the€plaintiff€was€lying€about€the€accidentÏwhich€formed€the€basis€for€his€not€reporting€the€matter€to€hisÏinsurance€company.× ƒ, ××  ×€€In€the€face€of€this€undisputed€evidence,€aÏtrier€of€fact€could€not€reasonably€infer€from€the€evidence€thatÏthe€attorney,€through€any€of€his€actions€or€omissions,€could€beÏheld€responsible€for€Hunleyððs€not€reporting€the€accident€withinÍa€reasonable€time€from€the€date€Hunley€learned€of€the€claim.€€Ìà àà àWithout€drawing€any€conclusions€regarding€the€mannerÏin€which€the€case€was€handled€beyond€that€point,€we€concludeÏthat€the€Trial€Judge€did€not€err€in€determining€that€theÏinsurance€companyððs€ability€to€defend€for€lack€of€noticeÏrendered€moot€any€consideration€of€the€defendantsððÏrepresentation€subsequent€to€œthat›€time.€€€€Ìà àà àWe€affirm€the€judgment€of€the€Trial€Court€and€remandÏat€appellantsðð€cost.ÌÓÓÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àHerschel€P.€Franks,€J.ÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌDon€T.€McMurray,€J.ÌÌÌÌÌÌ___________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€J.ÌÌ