RHODE ISLAND SUPREME COURT REVERSES TRIAL COURT ORDER VACATING ARBITRATION AWARD
In an uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage case, the plaintiff, an injured party in a collision with an underinsured driver, sued her insurer for underinsured motoriests benefits under her policy, which carried limits of $100,000. She was awarded $120,000 by the arbitrator, and the plaintiff then moved to comfirm in court. The insurer objected, based on the fact that there was no basis for any award beyond the policy’s limits. The trial court agreed with the insurer, and vacated that portion of the award in excess of $100,000, and otherwise confirmed the award as modified. However, on appeal, the Supreme Court of Rhode Island reversed, noting:
In modifying this award, the trial justice accepted defendant‘s contention that, . . . arbitrators may not award prejudgment interest above policy limits. . . . In effect, then, the trial justice modified the award based on his belief that the arbitrators had made an error of law. However, it is settled beyond a hint of contradiction that a mistake of law is not grounds for upsetting an arbitration award.
Wheeler v. Encompass Insurance Co., No. 2011-313 (R.I. May 24, 2013).
This post written by John Pitblado.
