WPC w:E9`mJT/¹`cJ3~t$}v'޿}֦wK³j(Qs4~$,Ҵ y-isJ:x`ekYVLr&f»L ktnX\kc8ONg/{K[ |3o)?"|̏{H|n0M-5ssZc.2NYo{q v/sl8e3*=طkeՀB5h`n0@ L=mq/rNt]lTIL+(NG64_B=zxj#Ղ8judwh8ti*R8^0Y3uv9i!RX&h@{pg%|:[G FDUR?9¼w^+4'`UB@ %n 04E4y0w U>2 #!7 NX Z m\ 0xs 0D ^ / ; CU:UNUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU B AQ 0P 0P' 0Dww D3<6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX3|x<6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXx6X@JQX@( T$  {Z='  ShelbyMcMURRAY<( 9Z &Courier Regular ( $      1    _~XX ` AlthoughtheTrialJudgewasoftheopinionthattheofferof `  judgmenthadthelegaleffectofconcedingMs._Simonton_Ԁwasinsured,nosuch (  rulingwasstatedwhen,attheconclusionofalltheproof,themotionfor   directedverdictbyAllstatewasmadeandoverruled.  X #X=X~_#HP LaserJet 8000 DN PS0U(((3$ T!       0  (#$  0  Cz4'   $      2     `   ` ~XXInpassingonamotionfordirectedverdict,boththetrial   courtandthereviewingcourtonappealarerequiredtolookto  J alltheevidence,takethestrongestlegitimateviewofitin r  favoroftheopponentofthemotion,andallowallreasonable :  inferencesfromitinhisfavor.Thecourtmustdiscardall   countervailingevidence,andifthereisthenanydisputeasto  j anymaterialdeterminativeevidence,oranydoubtastothe 2 conclusiontobedrawnfromthewholeevidence,themotionmustbe Z denied. "  Dobsonv.Shortt,929S.W.2d347(Tenn.App.1996). 9 [͸"   _XXXXgXX   Ad FILEDg  September20,1999Cecil_Crowson_,Jr.AppellateCourtClerkdA ,cAZ"Arial Regular(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular dZ[\]_C<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5((3͸$ T!   ((3͸$ T!   ($$   1  >>>>'dxd T!   _`   8XXdd8TR[A'Legal3'A' Legal3'T  _XvXXX__vY_@0,j: `@E( tt$ Zv_@INTHECOURTOFAPPEALS@@$@$ATKNOXVILLEHAROLDGOAD@*@@*)  SCOTTCOUNTY   8     `     h   )  03A019812CV00397 $    PlaintiffAppellee@*) p    @*)@*)  v.@*)  HON.CONRAD_TROUTMAN_, 4  @*)  JUDGE   @*)SHARON_SIMONTON_Ԁand@*)  ALLSTATEINSURANCECOMPANY@*)  @*)  DefendantsAppellant@*)@@*  AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED \ KENNETHW.WARDOFKNOXVILLEFORAPPELLANTCHARLESB.SEXTONOFONEIDAFORAPPELLEE XXXXv@$OPINION 'l!    `     h      p   #XvXX X#_Goddard_,_P.J._Ԁ ^,"&    ` Inthiscase,HaroldGoadsuesSharonK._Simonton_,seekingdamagesforpersonalinjuriesreceivedbyhimasaresultofavehicularaccidentoccurringonoraboutJuly19,1996.Althoughnotshownintherecord,itappearsfromthebriefsofthepartiesthatprocesswasissuedandserveduponAllstateInsuranceCompany,theuninsuredand_underinsured_ԀinsurancecarrierofMr.Goad._ 4:05    ` Ms.Simontonneverfiledananswer,butAllstatedid,inwhichitadmittedhavinguninsuredandunderinsuredmotoristcoverageintheamountof$25,000.00/$50,000.00. :81?  (<2A    ` ThejuryreturnedaverdictinfavorofMr.Goadinthe `  amountof$39,500againstDefendantsSharon_Simonton_ԀandAllstate   andajudgmentwasenteredinthatamount,whichwaslater   reducedbyagreementto$25,000astoAllstate.     ` Allstateappeals,contendingthattheTrialCourtwas 0  inerrorinnotgrantingitsmotionfordirectedverdictmadeat `  theconclusionofalltheproof.Allstatesmotionwas P  predicateduponthepropositionthatMr.Goadhadnotshownthat   Ms._Simonton_Ԁwaseitheruninsuredor_underinsured_.Inthis p connectionwenotethatthecomplaintmakesnoallegations  regardingtheuninsuredmotoristcoverage.However,theanswer 0 ofAllstate demandsstrictproofthatthenameddefendant,   SharonK._Simonton_,wasuninsuredor_underinsured_Ԁwithinthe P meaningofitspolicy. @    ` Thereafter,byposttrialmotion,Allstatesoughtentry `"  ofajudgmentinaccordancewithitsmotionforadirected #" verdict. % $    ` InrulingontheposttrialmotionstheTrialCourtby (@( lettertocounselstatedthefollowing: 0* *  ` Afterreviewingthefileinthismatter,Iamof P-#. theopinionthatthemotionfiledbytheDefendant .$/ shouldbedenied.Onthe13thofApril,1998,the .%0 DefendantfiledanofferofJudgmentfor$15,000.00in /H&1 thiscase.Ifeelthelegaleffectofthesameleft p0'2 theonlyissuebeforethejurybeingtheamountofthe 81'3 damagestowhichthePlaintiffwouldbeentitled._  #  1      _ 2(4  ` Pleaseprepareanorderaccordingly. 30*6   5+8 _ԇ   ` Whiletheofferofjudgmentwasnotbeforethejury, `  thereisproofintherecordand,indeed,concededinthe   AppellantsbriefthatAllstatepaidpropertydamagetoMr.Goad   underitsuninsuredmotoristcoverage.Webelievethepaymentof  propertydamage,coupledwiththefactthatMs.Simontonwasnot @ presentnorrepresentedattrial,raisesareasonableinference 0  thatAllstatewasconcedingMs.Simontonwasuninsured.In `  indulgingthisreasonableinference,towhichMr.Goadwas P  entitledonmotionforadirectedverdict, #  2      ׀wefindtheTrial   Courtactedproperlyinoverrulingthemotioninthefirst p instanceandindenyingthemotiontoalter.  _   ` Parenthetically,wepointoutthattheoverrulingof   themotionfordirectedverdictdidnotresolvetheissue,as P seemedtobeassumedforcounselforAllstate,butrathermadeit @ aquestionforthejurytoresolve.CounselforAllstate,  p however,didnotrequestjuryinstructionsrelativetothisissue `"  andthetrialproceededasiftheonlyDefendantwasMs. #" _Simonton_. % $    ` Inreachingourconclusionwearenotunmindfulof (@( T.C.A.568105,relieduponbyAllstate,which,aspertinent, 0* * providesthefollowing: +`",   ` 568105.Advancepaymentsofclaims. (a)In .%0 anyactioninwhichapersonhasmadeanypaymentsto /p&1 oronbehalfofanyclaimantpriortotrial,such `  paymentsshallnotbeconstruedasanadmissionof (  liabilitybysuchpersoninanyactionbroughtto   recoverforpersonalinjuriesorfordamageto  X property.      ` WedonotbelievethisCodeSectionaddressestheissue @ beforeusbecausethequestionraisedisnotoneofliabilitybut 0  oneofcoverageand,consequently,itisirrelevant. `     ` Beforeconcluding,weobservethatcounsel,inoral   argument,pointedoutthatwhetherMs._Simonton_Ԁwasinsuredcould p beeasilydeterminedbycontactingtheproperStateauthorities.  Counsel,however,representedthathehadnotattemptedto 0 ascertainthisfact.Inanyevent,itseemstousthat,whenthe   questioncouldbeeasilydetermined,intheinterestoffairness P toitsownpolicyholderswhopayitpremiums,Allstateshould @ havemadethedeterminationand,ifMs._Simonton_Ԁwasinfact  p insured,producedtheevidenceattrial. `"     ` FortheforegoingreasonsthejudgmentoftheTrial % $ Courtisaffirmedandthecauseremandedforcollectionofthe '& judgmentandcostsbelow.Costsofappealareadjudgedagainst (@( Allstateanditssurety. 0* *    `     h   _______________________________ P-#.    `     h   HoustonM.Goddard,P.J. .$/ CONCUR: p0'2 ________________________________ 30*6 HerschelP.Franks,J. X4*7 ________________________________ x7.; CharlesD.Susano,Jr.,J. @8.<