Gates v. State Farm Fire And Casualty Company, No. 3:2012cv00058 - Document 32 (W.D. Va. 2013)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Glen E. Conrad on 3/1/13. (hnw)

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CL S DFFI U. DI COURT ERK' CE S. SX AT ROANOKE, A V FI LED I THE UN I N TED STA TES D I STRI COU RT CT FOR THE W ESTERN DI STRI OF VI NI CT RGI A CH ARLOTTESV I LLE D I I ON V SI MA2 212 1 23 JUL t BY; # /( rj .U ?. , LE i J OHN R.GATES,ndi dua l a a i vi ly nd s balef M aj reG. m,!g ie or ro i Adn # k, Ci lAc i N o.3: 2CV 00058 vi ton 1 Pl i if , a ntf s M EM O M ND UM O PIN IO N STATE FARM FI E AN D CA SU A LTY R COM PAN Y , By:Hon. l n E.Conr d Ge a Chi fU nie St t D i ti tJ e t d a es sr c udge D ef endant . Thi c e i pr e l bef r t co ton t de enda ' m oton t di m i st orgi l s as s es nty o e he ur he f nts i o s s he i na c ompli , hedef nda ' m o i t dimi st frtn nde compl nt andt pl i if ' ant t e nts ton o s s he is me d ai , he antfs m oto f l a t fl a s c n e i n or e ve o ie e ond m nded co pl i t m an . Backzround OnSe tmb r1 , 01 , fr d sr y dtersd n eo J l R. ts(ç ts'a o e pe e 7 2 1 a ie e to e h e ie c f om Gae ç e ' nd v r Ga ) 1 350 ie sofpe s lpr r y. G a esw a i ur d unde a hom eo ne s polc i s d by St t , tm r ona ope t t s ns e r w r ' i y s ue ae Fa m Fiea Cauat Co ny(l aeFam' . Folowi t fr ,Gaesfldacai wih r r nd s ly mpa çstt r ' ) l ng he ie t ie l m t St e Fa m . The c ai w asde e w ih r pe tt 55 ie s ofpe s at r lm ni d t es c o tm r onalpr r y. ope t O n Se em be 1 201 G a esi t a e t s a to by f lng a pr K com pl nti t pt r 4, 2, t nii t d hi c i n ii o ai n he Ci c tCo tofAl m are Count I t or gi lc pl i t G a eshi s fc a m e no r ui ur be l y. n he i na om a n , t m el l i d da a . l t a he a l ge t thew ass o i t 5 iem sofpe s m ges ns e d, le d ha t r ng he 5 t r onal ope t f hi c l e pr ry or s hidr n a grnd hidr n,a t tt yweeihepateslgal e ildt pay nt' ( ket 21. nd a c l e nd ha he r t ri e ly ntte o me .' Doc No. ) t The or gi com pl ntw as s gned onl by Gat I w asnots gned by any ofçt partes l l i nal ai i y es. t i dhe i egaly e ttedt pa nt' anat ne lc ns dt prciei Vigi a. (d. n il o yme 'or tor y ie e o a tc n r ni I ) Upo r mo i t ec s t ti c u t nt eb sso dv ri j rs ito , aeFam n e vng h a e o h s o r o h a i f ie st u idcin Stt r y m oved t di m i st orgi c pl i . St t Fa m a gue t tt o i na co pl n w a o s s he i nal om a nt a e r r d ha he r gi l m ai t s i i s nc i w as sgne fo y by a pe s a tng i a r pr e t tve ca ciy w ho i not nvald, i e t i d d nl r on c i n e es n a i pa t s lc nsdt pr cielw i Vigi a' Shi v.Huntr 699S. 2d51 5 ( 2010 ,seas ie e o a tc a n r ni.' pe e, E. 9, 20 Va. ) e lo . Ko v.W is n,630S. 2d7 746( 2006)( di t tt pli ifsl ur t saus ne lo E. 44, Va. hol ng ha he antf ç rogae tt s pr c ude a pr K f lng bec us he w a a tng i a r pr e a i ca ciy f t tue pari i el d o ii a e s c i n e es nt tve pa t or he r tes n i eef'. ntrs ) On N ove be 1 201 Ga e fl d a a e ed c pl i t derar vi e c pton: dol R . m r , 2, t s ie n m nd om a nt m e sd a i t m l Gae ,n i iu lya da a e t n b ie f rl iiu lP an if M aj reG. n g A., ts id vd al n s g n a d ale o ndvd a litfs ro i Ad m, A. j ( A., a sR. t ,g G.,a ( G. v.Stt Fam Fiea Cas t Compa ' ( ke L. )J cque Gaes E. 1 nd C. j ae r r nd ualy ny. Doc t ' No.6. Then nde c antwa sgne byGaes M aj i G. m,a J c R.Gae . ) me d ompli s i d t , rore Ada nd a ques ts The e t r St t Fa m m o d t di m i st n e r afe , a e r ve o s s he m nded c pl i t The pl ntf st n tl d om a n . ai i f he i e am oto f l avet fl a s ond a e i n or e o ie ec m nded c pl i , hi h w oul a l get tt oft ie sof om a nt w c d le ha wo he t m pe s lpr ry a is bel dt Ga es hi ef a t the s t ne al si t a r ona ope t t s ue onge o t , ms l, nd ha usai d os n he mountof $ 1 00. 2, 20. The c t l a he rng on t pe ng m otons o D e m be 20,201 Durng t our he d ai he ndi i n ce r 2. i he hea i t c t r tedt pl ntf st fl a s c a e d compl ntwihi t n da of rng, he our pe mit he ai if o ie e ond m nde ai t n e ys t he r ng. A s co a e d c pl ntw a fl d o D e m be 28, 2, nd on J he a i e nd m nde om ai s ie n ce r 201 a anua y l r 0, 201 a a w e w a f l d by St t Fa m , Thi o ni s t f t t gr undsf gr ntng t 3, n ns r s ie ae r s pi on e s orh he o or a i he pl i if l a t tl a s co a e a ntf s e ve o i e e nd m nded com pl nt ai . D i cus on s si St e Far argued t t sacton shoul be di m i sed,and t tt pl ntf shoul be at m hat hi i d s s ha he ai ifs d deni l ed eave t am end,becaus t w oul nothave been pennit t fl an nm ended com pl nt o e hey d ted o ie ai i saec u t Se , ..Ko e 6 0 S. 2 a 7 ( l igta a iv l moinf r u g n n tt o r. e ec, n , 3 E.d t 46 hodn h t n n ai t o j d me t d o vo dnotbea nded) Howe r bec us Stt Fa ee tdt rmo t a tonfom sae ul me . ve , a e ae nu lce o e ve he ci r tt c r t f de a c t t a ton i now gove ne by t Fede a Rul ofCi l oc ou t o e r l our , he c i s r d he r l es vi Pr edur . Fe R. e d. Ci P.81c( )(s- er esa yt acvi a tona trii r v. () 1 dl -hes ul ppl o i l ci fe t s emove fom asaec t'l dr tt our. . ' Co e nty,dame nsque l Cgl ndme ofapla ng...i al di t n nt e di s lowe f he mendme woul ha be nt d ve en pe mitdhadt s torgi tdi fdealc r. 3-1 M oor sFe rlPr tc -Ci lj r te he ui i nae n e r ou t' 5 ' e' dea acie vi 15.6(1( at w Be r3dEd.(ii Fr ma v. eM a hi Co.l 31 U. 448 4515 1 5 M the nde ) ctng ee n Be c ne snc. 9 S. , -2 ( 943:. Thef tt ta n nd n woul notha bee al di t a tonha rmanedi 1 ac ha n me me t d ve n lowe f he ci d e i n saec ti ofnoc e nc Fre n,31 U. a 451(i ngç r s i prc n or tt our s ons que e. e ma 9 S. t tndi s eaon n e ede t no polc ...t bara nd e st t c iy o me m nt o he ompl i ,ohe wi epr pe ,me el bec us t y c d not ant t r s o r r y a e he oul ha be nma i t acinha r mane i saec f'. ve e de f he to d e i d n tt oul l Th Fe e a Rulsp o d ta la et a n s o l b Sr eyg v l)whe j sies e d rl e rvie h t e v o me d h ud e ' e l i en f n u tc o rquies' Fed. Ci P.15()2) Thi i s be aus ofthefdea polc i f vorofr s vi e r . ' R. v. a( . s s o c e t e rl iy n a t eol ng c eson t i mert i t a ofdiposng oft m on t c caii . La rv. r v, F. as her is nse d s i he e hni ltes' be Ha ve 438 3d ' 404,428( hCi. ) I lg oft slbea ame 4t r 2006 . n iht hi i rl ndme polc t cou tgrntdt nt iy,he r a e he pl ntf s m oton a pe m it d t m t f l a s c a e ai if ' i nd r te he o ie e ond m nded c pl i t t w hi h St t Fa m has om a n , o c a e r tl an atsw er* ied l . Theco tmus not,howe rt tMaj i Ada a J que Gaessgnedt s c ur t e ve,ha rore m nd ac s t i he e ond nme ndedcompl i o be l oft ms l sandt i mi c l e Unde e si pr e nt ant n ha f he eve her nor hidr n. r xitng ec de , S i a t ne pa e s ... a no lt g t t c ai soft i m i c l en i f de alc t ' non- tor y r nt m y t ii a e he l m he r nor hidr n e r our . ' M yesv.LoudonCount Pub. hs, F. 395, ( h Ci.2005) s ealoRe l v.W a r v Sc .418 3d 401 4t r . , e s ae ke Count HumanSe vs, F. x 1 ,1 ( hCi. 2) Acc di y,hepl ntfsa e v r .480 App' 95 97 4t r 201 . or ngl t ai if r *Gi n t cour' r i t de endantsmotonst dimi t orgi and t s am e ve he ts ulng, he f ' i o s ss he i nal irt nded compl nt ai s w ilbe de ed asmoot l ni . a s t tunl s c ns li obt i d t a a on be l oft m i c l e t c l e wil dvied ha e s ou e s ane o ppe r haf he nor hidr n, he hidr n l bedim is a pa te t t saci n. s s ed s ri s o hi to The Clr i die t d t s nd c rii d c e oft sm e or ndum o ni a t e k s r c e o e e tfe opis hi m a pi on nd he ac om pa ng or rt a lc m s lofr cor c nyi de o l ot e e d. E E Ti l NT R: hs 4* da ofM y ac, 0 3 rh 2 1. t Chi fU nied St t D i ti tJ e t a es s r c udge 4

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