WPCk Y;B&R5HR30-nqSⵏ~26<*"IQVsθHϛa+vaf j\jʭ- <\ZĨe!bSv+G<1rW ]\kP%kui @#zsBZqM?!,fфvN*Bo3 Jͯv $c}t1 P_ͱۓ$H/mղ8LbO5f1/l6WZvNh]6ڃ?{8&0\6Zfxw[ϝ}R648rKŅ*0JbuvU|Tlu0Iԑmퟎb~& SF.72R>y-yZH bb %\^ b 0nUNwD4H\ zk m # U<   Y N 0D3E6UN8b```````````````````````````````````` 0hhhh BSS 0p D3 D-G 0Ktt AS 0 0D| A+L (`$.8dd8    ("  Z6Times New Roman RegularL-(I3|x C:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wptUHP LaserJet 4,,,,,,0-Bu Z$Arrus BT RomanLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5 (#$  0    R)$      2    _In Sherer ,theTennesseeSupremeCourtexpressednoopiniononthestatuteatissueinthiscase,Tennessee  CodeAnnotated5671201(d),andstatedthatitexpressednoopinionontheholdingin Erwin . See_Sherer_ ,29 x _S.W.3d_Ԁat454.(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular  R)$      1    _Thisstatutestates:   8  G9a)Forthepurposeofthiscoverage,"uninsuredmotorvehicle"meansamotorvehiclewhose @ ownership,maintenance,orusehasresultedinthebodilyinjury,death,ordamagetopropertyofan T insured,andforwhichthesumofthelimitsofliabilityavailabletotheinsuredunderallvalidand  collectibleinsurancepolicies,bonds,andsecuritiesapplicabletothebodilyinjury,death,ordamage  topropertyislessthantheapplicablelimitsofuninsuredmotoristcoverageprovidedtotheinsured P  underthepolicyagainstwhichtheclaimismade. d   #G9#Tenn.CodeAnn.5671202(a)(2000).- -(|G2)$ !.8|dd8         0   d(|3y&$ !.8|dd8     VVVV'dxd)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  ^_X`YE<<CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(|3y&$ !.8|dd8     ($$   1  X[Z&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKK !.8|dd8     _  |8XXdd8  @ |INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE  @%ATJACKSON#| #Ԉ ,   November21,2000Session X XX| #|XX#LINDAG.POPER,byHusbandandConservator,THOMASC.POPER,  ` etal.v.JOSEPHE.ROLLINS,etal.XX|  ( x @@ AnAppealfromtheCircuitCourtforShelbyCounty 0  @@No.715182T.D.JamesF.Russell,Judge  p @@*AV) ` dE<` A @  @@TTNo.W200000391_COA_ԄR3CVAugust15,_2001_ ?  AV) ` dE<` A       Thisisanuninsuredmotoristinsurancecase.Theplaintiffswifediedasaresultofinjuries  sufferedinanautomobileaccidentinvolvingmultiplevehicles.Thehusbandsuedseveral  defendantsforwrongfuldeath.Hesettledoutofcourtwithallbutonedefendant.Thesingle  remainingdefendanthadonly$10,000inliabilityinsurancecoverage.Theinsurancecompanyof  theremainingdefendantofferedtosettleforthefullpolicylimit.Thehusbandhadanuninsured  motoristinsurancepolicywith$100,000incoverage,andhesuedhisuninsuredmotoristinsurance ~ carrierfordamagesbeyondthepolicylimitsoftheremainingdefendantsinsurance.Theuninsured n motoristinsurancecarrierrefused,assertingthatthehusbandhadcollectedmorethanthe$100,000 ^ uninsuredmotoristpolicylimitfromtheotherdefendantswhohadsettledwiththehusband N previously.Thetrialcourtgrantedsummaryjudgmenttotheinsurer.Onappeal,weaffirm,finding > that,underTennesseeCodeAnnotated5671201(d),theuninsuredmotoristinsurancecarrieris .~ entitledtooffsettheamountscollectedfromthedefendantswhohadpreviouslysettled. n  Tenn.R.App.P.3AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuitCourtAffirmed  N   #|X#XX.|HollyKirbyLillard,J.,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichDavidR.Farmer,J.and !.  HewittP.Tomlin,Jr.,Sp.J.,joined. "! BerryCooper,Memphis,Tennessee,fortheappellant,ThomasC.Poper. $# NathanW.Kellum,Memphis,Tennessee,fortheappellee,FarmersMutualInsuranceExchange. &!%    MelanieM.Stewart,Memphis,Tennessee,fortheappellee,JosephE.Rollins. n(#'    OPINION #|XXC #XX| N*%) k #|XX #XX|   Thisisanuninsuredmotoristinsurancecase.Inthiscase,LindaG.Poperwasseriously .,~'+ injuredinanautomobileaccidentinAugust1994thatinvolvedseveralvehicles.InJanuary1996, -n(, shediedasaresultofthoseinjuries.Herhusband,ThomasC.Poper,filedsuitagainstthedriverof  eachvehiclefornegligenceresultinginthewrongfuldeathofhiswife.HealsosuedGeneralMotors  Corporation,themanufacturerofhiswifescar,assertingproductsliability.    Popersubsequentlysettledoutofcourtwithallbutoneofthedefendants.Hereceivedatotal p of$530,000fromthosesettlements,including$400,000fromGeneralMotors.Theonlydefendant `  withwhomPoperdidnotsettlewasJosephE.Rollins.Mr.Rollinssliabilityinsurerprovidedonly P  $10,000incoverage,andhisinsurerofferedtosettleforthefullpolicyamount. @    PoperhadanuninsuredmotoristinsurancepolicywithFarmersMutualExchangeInsurance  p  ( Farmers),withpolicylimitsof$100,000.PoperservedFarmerswithacopyofhislawsuit, `  assertingthatFarmerswasliablefortheexcesslossnotcoveredbyRollinssliabilityinsurance. P  Farmersdeniedliability,arguingthatPoperhadexceededthepolicylimitsoftheuninsuredmotorist @  policybecausehehadcollectedmorethan$100,000fromthedefendantswithwhomhehad 0  previouslysettled.     PoperassertedthatitwasunclearwhetherRollinssliabilityinsurancecoveredtheportion  ofthelosscausedbyRollins;therefore,Farmerswouldbeliableforanylossnotcoveredby  Rollinssinsurance.Poperpointedtothelanguageofhisuninsuredmotoristinsurancepolicy,which  stated:  8  Wewillpayallsumswhichaninsuredpersonislegallyentitledtorecoveras ` damagesfromtheowneroroperatorofanuninsuredmotorvehiclebecauseofbodily P injurysustainedbytheinsuredperson....@   _Poper_ԀarguedfromthisthatFarmerswouldbedeemedliableiftheremainingdefendantwasthe  p ownerofan uninsuredmotorvehicle.Thepolicydefined uninsuredmotorvehicleasamotor ` vehicle: P 8  a.Towhichthesumofalllimitsofliabilityavailabletotheinsuredpersonunderall 0 validandcollectibleinsurancepolicies,bonds,andsecuritiesapplicabletothebodily   injuryorpropertydamageislessthantheapplicablelimitsshownintheDeclarations ! foruninsuredmotoristscoverageagainstwhichtheclaimismade."    (Emphasisadded.)_Poper_Ԁemphasizedthephrase towhich,arguingthatthe sumofalllimits $" availablemustbeapplicabletoRollinssvehicle. % #   Farmersmovedforsummaryjudgment.X] XXXFarmersargued,interalia,thatTennesseeCode `'"% Annotated5671201(d)cutacrossthelanguageintheinsurancepolicy,establishingineffecta `(#&  capbyoffsettingtheamountsofanyinsurancepoliciesapplicabletotheinjuryordeath.This L)$'  statuteprovides: 8*%( 8  (d)Thelimitofliabilityforaninsurerprovidinguninsuredmotoristcoverageunder   thissectionistheamountofthatcoverageasspecifiedinthepolicylessthesumof  thelimitscollectibleunderallliabilityand/orprimaryuninsuredmotoristinsurance  policies,bonds,andsecuritiesapplicabletothebodilyinjuryordeathoftheinsured. t Withregardtoaclaimagainstagovernmentalunit,politicalsubdivisionoragency ` thereof,thelimitationsofliabilityestablishedunderapplicablelawshallbe L  consideredaslimitscollectibleunderaliabilityinsurancepolicy.#XX XX]#X] XXX 8    Tenn.CodeAnn.5671201(d)(2000).#XX XX]) #ԀThetrialcourtinitiallydeniedFarmersmotionfor  ` summaryjudgment.Farmersthenfiledamotiontoreconsider,andthetrialcourtgrantedsummary  `  judgmentinfavorofFarmers.Fromthisorder,Popernowappeals. P    Inthiscase,theessentialfactsareundisputed. XXXXSinceonlyquestionsoflawareinvolved,we #XXX X"# XXXX 0  reviewthetrialcourtsgrantofsummaryjudgmentdenovo,withnopresumptionofcorrectness.    See  Warrenv.EstateofKirk ,954S.W.2d722,723(Tenn.1997).#XXX X"#     Onappeal,PopercontendsthatthelanguageofhisuninsuredmotoristpolicywithFarmers  clearlyobligatesFarmerstopayforanyexcesslossnotcoveredbyRollinssliabilityinsurance.He  notesthatthepolicyinsuresagainstdamagecausedbythe owneroroperatorofanuninsuredmotor  vehicle,whichisdefinedasavehicle [t]owhichthesumofalllimitsofliabilityavailabletothe p insuredperson...islessthantheapplicablelimitsofthepolicy.(Emphasisadded.)Poperargues ` thatthephrase, towhich,meansthatonlytheinsuranceapplicabletoRollinssvehiclecanbeused P tooffsetthetotalcoverageprovidedbyhisuninsuredmotoristpolicy.Popernotesthatthedefinition @ ofuninsuredmotorvehicleinhisinsurancepolicycloselymirrorsthedefinitionprovidedin 0 TennesseeCodeAnnotated5671202(a)(2000). #  1        p   Poperassertsthat,underacomparativefaultsystem,Farmersshouldnotbeabletooffsetits P uninsuredmotoristcoveragebytheamountscollectedfromotherdefendants.Henotesthat @ Tennesseehasabandonedthelawofjointandseveralliabilityinfavorofamodifiedcomparative 0 faultsysteminwhicheachdefendantisliableonlyfortheportionoftheplaintiffslossheorshe   caused,solongastheplaintiffsnegligenceincausingthelossdoesnotoutweighthedefendants   negligence. SeeShererv.Linginfelter ,29S.W.3d451,455(Tenn.2000); McIntyrev.Balentine , ! 833S.W.2d52,57(Tenn.1992).Poperarguesthatsinceeachdefendantisliableforhisorherown  loss,theotherdefendantsarenotliableforthelosscausedbyRollins,andthesettlementamounts  receivedfromtheotherdefendantsshouldnotoffsettheamountofuninsuredmotoristcoverage  providedbyFarmers.  X] XXX  Farmerscontendsthat,regardlessofthelanguageusedintheuninsuredmotoristpolicy, `  TennesseeCodeAnnotated5671201(d)ineffect capsFarmersliability,providingthatthe L  uninsuredmotoristcoverageisoffsetbythesumofanyinsurancelimits applicabletothebodily 8  injuryordeathoftheinsured.Farmersnotesthatthisstatutehasnotbeenmodifiedsince $ t Tennesseesadoptionofcomparativefaultandassertsthatapplicationofthestatuteisunaffected  `  bythedoctrineofcomparativefault.#XX XX],#  L    Insupportofitsargument,Farmerscites Erwinv.Rose ,980S.W.2d203,207208(Tenn. $  Ct.App.1998).In Erwin ,thejuryfoundthedefendanttobe84%responsiblefortheplaintiffsloss,   whichtotaled$1,000,000. SeeErwin ,980S.W.2dat205.Theplaintiffshadanuninsuredmotorist   policyfor$100,000,andtheysuedtheiruninsuredmotoristcarrierfortheexcesslossnotcovered   bythedefendants$25,000liabilitypolicy. Seeid. ThisCourtheldthattheinsurerwasentitledto  offsetthe$100,000policymaximumbyamountsreceivedfromotherdefendants,underthe  languageoftheuninsuredmotoristpolicy. Seeid. at20809.Insoholding,theCourtcommented: t 8  While McIntyrev.Balentine didabolishjointliability,wedonotthinkitchanged T thestatutesthatgovernuninsuredunderinsuredmotoristinsuranceortheprivate D contractpolicyprovisionsthathavebeenconsistentlyconstruedtogivetheinsurance 4 companythecredititseeksinthiscase.$t    Id. at207. T   _Poper_Ԁrightlynotesthat Erwin isdistinguishablefromthefactsofthecaseatbar,because 4 thepolicyin Erwin includedbroaderlanguagethatpermittedthedeductionofsumsrecoveredfrom $ otherdefendants. Seeid. at208.However,TennesseeCodeAnnotated5671201(d)clearly  providesthatthelimitofliabilityforuninsuredmotoristcoverageisoffsetby 8 @n thesumofthelimits   collectibleunderallliability...insurancepolicies,...applicabletothebodilyinjuryordeathof ! theinsured.Tenn.CodeAnn.5671201(d)(2000).(Emphasisadded.)Asnotedin Erwin ,the "  doctrineofcomparativefaultadoptedin McIntyrev.Balentine didnotchangethisstatute. Erwin , #! 980S.W.2dat207.Itiswellestablishedthatthestatutesgoverninganinsurancepolicybecomepart t$" ofthepolicy,overridinganypolicyprovisionstothecontrary. SeeSherer ,29S.W.3dat45354. #  2      ׀ d% # Therefore,thebroadlanguageofSection5671201(d)cutsacrossthelanguageofPoperspolicy, T&!$ andlimitstheuninsuredmotoristinsurersliabilitytothepolicyamountoffsetbythesumofall D'"% policylimitscollectibleandapplicabletothedeathoftheinsured.Consequently,underSection56 4(#& 71201(d),Farmersisallowedtooffsetitspolicycoveragebytheamountscollectedfromother  defendants.Underthesecircumstances,thetrialcourtdidnoterringrantingsummaryjudgmentto  Farmers.     Thedecisionofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.CostsonappealaretaxedtotheAppellant, p ThomasC.Poper,andhissurety,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. `      `     h     ___________________________________ P     `     h     HOLLYKIRBYLILLARD,JUDGE @