State Farm loses effort to deny insurance based on minor discrepancies in claim
Mykhaylo Vovna and Viktor Proshkov sued State Farm in an attempt to collect fairly modest Personal Injury Protection benefits after they suffered injuries in a motor vehicle collision. State Farm pointed to minor discrepancies and ambiguities in the paper work arising out of the sale of the vehicle and the report of the collision, in an effort to deny benefits. The trial court took testimony from the parties and concluded that State Farm had not alleged an adequate basis to deny PIP benefits that were due under the policy.
State Farm then appealed, seeking a "second bite at the apple." Among other claims, it argued that the trial court had improperly taken into consideration the content of the police report from the accident. The Court of Appeals made quick work of State Farm's appeal, upholding the Plaintiff's right to PIP benefits that they had purchased.