ACE FIRE UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY et al v. GILL et al Complaint

8/3/2019 ACE FIRE UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY et al v. GILL et al Complaint

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Case 211-CV-00620-JES-DNF Document 1 Filed 10/31/11 of 6 PagelD 1

FILED

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S DI S T R I C T C O U R T

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R E P R E S E N T A T I V E O F T H E E S T A T E O FJ A I M E I S I D R O G A L L A R D O , D E C E A S E D , a n d

U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE

JOH N E. STEELEI M M O K A L E E P R O D U C E S H I P P E R S , I N C . U N I T E D S T A T E S D I S T R I C T J U D G E

D E F E N D A N T S .

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C O M P L A I N T F O R D E C L A R A T O R Y J U D G M E N T

P l ai nt iff s, fo r ei g n c o r p o r at i o ns , A C E F IR E U N D E R W R I T E R S I N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y

an d I N D EM N I T Y I N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y O F N O R T H A M E R IC A , h e re b y s ue C H R I S T I N E

G I LL , A S P E R S O N A L R E P R E S E N T A T I V E O F T H E E S T A T E O F J A I M E I S ID R O G A L LA R D O ,

D E C E A S E D , an d I M M O K A L E E P R O D U C E S H I P P E R S , I N C . , D e fe nd an ts , a n d s ay :

1. A t a ll t i me s m a t e r ia l h e r e t o , t h e Plaintiff , A c e F i re U nde r w r i t e r s In s u r anc e C o m p any w a s

i nco rpo ra t ed in and w as a c i t i z en o f t h e S ta t e o f Pennsy lv an i a w i th i t s Pr inc i pa l P lac e o f Bus ine s s

loca t ed a t 4 3 6 Walnu t S t r e e t i n Ph i lade lph i a , Pennsy lvan i a 19106 ; A t al l t i me s ma t e r i a l h e r e t o ,

Indem ni ty Insurance C om pany o f N o r th A m e r i c a w as i nco rp o ra t ed i n and was a c i t i zen of the Sta te

o f Pennsy lvan i a w i th i t s Pr inc i pa l P lac e o f Bus ine s s l o ca t ed at 436 Walnu t S t r e e t in Ph i lade lph i a ,

Pennsy lvan i a 1 9 1 06 .

2 . A t al l t im e s ma te r i a l h e r e to , t h e De fendan t s , Ch r i s t i ne G i l l , a s p e r s ona l r e p r e s en ta t i v e o f t h e

es ta te o f Ja ime I s i d ro Ga l la rdo , de c eas ed was , bas ed upon info rmat i on and bel ief , a c i t i zen of the

State of Flor ida, re s iding in Broward County , F lo r i da .



Case 2:11-cv-00620-JES-DNF Document 1 Filed 10/31/11 of 6 PagelD 2

CASE N O . :Page 2 o f 6

3. At a l l t imes mate r i a l he re to , Immokalee Produce Shippers , Inc. was and had been

incorpo rated in the S tate of Florida and m aintained its principal p lace of business in Col l ier County ,

Florida.

4. T his i s an act ion whe rein the am ount in controve rsy i s in excess of seventy-five thousand

dollars ($75,000.00) Dollars , for Declaratory Judgment , and as such, th i s Court has jur i sd ict ion

pursuant to the pro vis ions of 28 U.S .C . § 1441, 28 U.S .C . § 220 1 and Fla. S tat . § 86.011 and §

86.021.

5. V enue i s pro per in the U nited States Distr ic t C ourt for the M iddle Distr ic t of Flor ida in that

the cause of act ion accrued in Col l ier County , Flor ida and that i s where the subject pol ic ies of

insurance w ere del ivere d .

ALLEGATIONSAND REQUEST FOR DECLARATORY RELIEF

6. A ce Fi re U nderwri ters Insurance C om pany i ssued a B usiness A uto po l icy of insurance to

Immokalee P roduce Sh ipper s , Inc . and Richard and Barbara Lev ine , w i th a t e rm commencing

No vem ber 22 , 2008 running to Nove m ber 22 , 200 9 , under po l icy num ber CA-154429 CAL-FL08 .

The l i ab i l ity coverage l im i t s were one m i ll i on do l lar s ($1 ,000 ,000 .00 ) . A copy of the po l icy i s

at tached to the com plaint as Exhibi t "A " and i s incorporated herein in i ts en t ire ty as i f se t for th h ere

in full.

7 . Indemni ty Insurance Company of North America, i ssued a Commercial General Liabi l i ty

pol icy o f insurance, to Im m okalee Pro duce S hipp ers , Inc. and R ichard and Barbara Levine, wi th a

t e rm com m en c in g Novem be r 2 2 , 2008 run ning t o Nov em be r 22 , 2009 , on Po l icy Fo rm N o . FX-

157280 XC P FL08. Th e l iab i li ty cove rage l im i ts w ere two m i ll i on do l lar s ($2 ,000 ,000 .00) . A copy

of the pol icy i s at tached to the co m plaint as Exhibi t "B " and is incorp orated here in in i ts entirety as if

set forth here in full.




CASE N O . :Page 3 of 6

8. During the term of the aforesaid po l ic ies , an accident and death occurred on Ap ri l 13,2009 at

som et ime b e twee n 5 :00 p .m . and 5 :30 p .m . in o r near Im m okalee , Co l l i e r Coun ty , Flo r ida . A f ie ld

w orker and driver-ow ner of a pickup truck involve d in the acc ident , w as identi fied as Juan O cho a.

9 . Juan O cho a and R ichard Levine, one of he pr incipals of Imm okalee Pro duce Sh ippe rs , Inc. ,

confi rm ed that the pickup w as not regis tered as a m otor v ehicle in Flor ida, had no l icense plates and

that Juan Och oa did not have a drive r ' s l i cense at the t im e of the subject incident . I t had been kept

(garaged) exclusively at Imm okalee for ove r a year .

10. Jaime Is idro G allardo, the deceased, w as a fie ld w orker w ho had r idden wi th the loaded truck

from the field to the barn and was riding in the bed of the truck, standing, facing forward behind

m ult ip le , s tacked crates , on the re turn t r ip . G allardo fell from the t ruck o nto a paved road, s t r ik ing

his he ad and per i shing as a resul t thereof.

11 . Th e ow ner and driver of the pickup truck w as not insured under any insurance p ol icy .

12 . C H R I S T IN E G IL L, A S P E R S O N A L R E P R E S EN T A T IV E O F T H E E S T A T E O F J A IM E

ISIDRO GA LLARDO , DECEA SED, has fi led sui t against, IM M O K A L EE P R O D U C E S H I P PE R S ,

INC . , in case N o . 10-4878 in the C i rcuit Co urt for C ol l ier County Flor ida. Th e amended com plaint

is attached here to as Exhibit "C " and incorpo rated he re in i ts entirety as if set forth he re in full. Th e

lawsui t al leges that Imm okalee Produce S hippe rs , Inc. ' s em ployee negl igent ly ope rated the vehicle in

w hich the dec edent was r id ing resul t ing in the dec ede nt ' s injury and death .

13. C hris t ine G i l l , as Personal Re prese ntative o f the Estate of Jaim e Is idro G allardo, deceased,

and Imm okalee P roduce Sh ipper s Inc . as se rt tha t A ce F i re U nderw r i te r s In surance Co m pany and

Indemni ty Insurance Company of North America are bound to defend, indemnify and hold

Imm okalee P roduce S h ipper s Inc. harm less pursuant to the term s and condi t ions of thei r resp ect ive

insurance po l ic ies .




CASE N O . :

Page 4 of 6

14. ACE F IR E U N D E R W R IT E R S I N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y and IN D E M N IT Y IN S U R A N C E

COMPANY OF N O RT H AM ERICA have deni ed coverage under the i r re spec t i ve insu rance po l i c i e s

for the claim s m ade in the lawsui t f iled sui t against, IM M O K A L E E P R O D U C E S H I P P E R S , IN C . ,

in case No . 10-4878 in the C ircuit Court for Co llier Co unty Florida, and hav e declined to defend ,

IM M OK ALEE PRO DUC E S HIPPERS , INC . u nd e r t h e ir r e s p ec ti v e i nsu rance po l i c ie s . Cop i e s o f

t h e d en i a l l e t t e r s i s su ed by ACE F IRE UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY an d

IN D EM N IT Y IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y OF N OR TH AM ERICA are at tached here to as com pos i te

Exhibit "D" and are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth here in full.

15. ACE FIR E U N D E R W R IT E R S IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y and IN D E M N I T Y I N S U R A N C ECO M PA NY OF N O RT H A M ERICA are uncer tain and in doubt o f he i r du ti e s and ob l iga ti ons under

thei r respe ct ive po l ic ies and have a bo na fide, actual, and pre sent nee d for this C ourt to declare their

rights and obligations as they relate to claims for indemnification and defense.

16. Th is declaratory act ion is not brough t s im ply to seek the Court's l ega l adv ice . Rather , A CE

FIR E U N D ER W R I T ER S I N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y and PNDEMNITY PNSURANCE C O M P A N Y

OF NORTH AMERICA have an urgent and present need for a declarat ion of r ights under thei r

re spec t ive po l i c i e s .

W H E R E F O R E , Plaintiff, A C E FIR E U N D ER W R IT E R S IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y and

IN D EM N IT Y IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y OF NO RT H AM ERICA respec tful ly reques t the Court to :

( i) enter an order declar ing th e r igh ts , dut ies , ob l igat ions, and other contractual re lat ions of AC E

FIR E U N D E R W R I T ER S P N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y and PN D EM N I T Y IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y

OF N O R TH A M ERICA pursuan t to the i r r e spec t i ve po l i c i e s ; ( ii ) en te r an o rder dec lar ing tha t the

pol ic ies , though val id , binding and enforceable , and in effect , do not obl igate ACE FIRE

U N D E R W R IT E R S IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y o r P N DEM N IT Y P N SU R A N C E C O M P A N Y O FN O RT H A M ERICA to defend and indemnify Imm okalee P roduce Sh ipp er s , Inc. w i th respec t to the

claims asser ted by C hri s t ine Gi l l , as Personal Re prese ntative of the Estate of Jaim e Is idro G allardo,

deceased ; and ( ii i) ente r an o rder aw arding A CE FIRE U N DERW RIT ERS INSU RA N CE




CASE N O . :Page 5 of6

C O M P A N Y and IN D EM N I T Y I N S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y O F N O R T H A M E R IC A re as o nab le

at torney's fees and cos t s in enforc ing th e i r r ights in the prese nt ac t ion.

D E M A N D F O R A T R I A L B Y JU R Y

P l a in t i f f s , ACE FIRE UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY and INDEMNITY

IN S U R A N C E C O M P A N Y OF N O RT H A M ERICA dem and a t ri al by jury of all issues so tr iable as

a m at te r of r ight .

C E R T I F IC A T E O F S E R V I C E

H EREB Y CER TIFY th at a t rue and cor rec t copy of the foregoing w as furnished via Firs t Class M ail

to a ll par t ies on the a t tached Service Lis t on O ctober 2 8, 2 0 1 1 .

M I N T Z E R , S A R O W I T Z , ZERIS , LEDVA& M E Y E R S , L LPTh e W aterford at Blue Lagoo n1 00 0 N . W . 57 th Cour tSuite 300M i a m i , FL 33126

Ph one: (305) 774-9966Fax: (305)774-7743Emai l : riavier(2>defensecounsel.corn

E. JAV IER , ESQUIREflorida Bar N o. 0194549



Case 2:11-CV-00620-JES-DNF Document 1 Filed 10/31/11 of 6 PagelD 6

C A S E N O . :Page 6 o f 6

S E R V I C E L I S T

Counsel for Plaintiff Gill, as PR of the Est,of Jaime Isidro Gallardo

Hyram M . M o n te r o , Esq.

M O N T E R O LA W C E N T ER100 SE 6th Stree tFt. Lauderdale, FL 33301Ph:(954) 767-6500Fax:(954) 766-2690

Counsel for Defendants Imm okalee

Produce Shippers, Incand Juan Ochoa:

Thomas M. Doughe r tyG eraghty , Dougher ty & Edwards , PA.

P . O . BOX 1605

Fort My ers , FL. 33902P h : (239)334-9500

Fax: (239)334-8930



Case 2:11-cv-00620-JES-DNF Document 1-1 Filed 10/31/11 Page 1 of 51 PagelD 7

Rain and Hail

Agribusiness Division9200 Northpartc Drive, Suite 250Johnston, IA 50131-3007Tel: (515)559-1200

(800) 585-9624Fax: (515) 559-1201Website: www.RainHail.com

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ACE FIRE UNDERWRITERS INSURANCE COMPANY et al v. GILL et al Complaint

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