California Supreme Court Rules Broadly in Favor of Insureds

Co-authored by Kerry Roberson

On Monday, June 4, 2018, the California Supreme Court ruled that an insurance company must provide liability coverage to its corporate insured against claims of negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of its employee, who allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old child. The case is Liberty Surplus Ins. Corp. v. Ledesma & Meyer Construction Co., Inc., Case No. S236765 (June 4, 2018). This decision is "of exceptional importance to injured parties, employers, and insurance companies doing business in California," wrote the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in an order certifying the issue to the California Supreme Court.

In 2002, Ledesma & Meyer Construction Co. (L&M) entered into a contract with the San Bernadino School District for a construction project at a local middle school. L&M hired Darold Hecht to work on the project. In 2010, a 13-year-old student at the school (Jane Doe), filed suit asserting numerous claims against L&M, alleging that she was sexually abused by Hecht. One of Doe's claims against L&M alleged negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of Hecht. L&M's insurer, Liberty Surplus Insurance Corporation, agreed to defend L&M under a reservation of rights.

Liberty sought declaratory judgment in federal court that Liberty was not obligated to defend or indemnify L&M against Doe's lawsuit, arguing that L&M's negligence did not constitute an "occurrence" under the commercial general liability policy. The policy provided L&M coverage for liabilities arising from "bodily injury" caused by an "occurrence." The policy defined "occurrence" as "an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions." The District Court held that Liberty was not obligated to defend or indemnify L&M in the underlying action because L&M's negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of Hecht was "too attenuated from the injury-causing conduct" of Hecht to fit the policy definition of "occurrence."

L&M appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which then issued an order certifying the issue to the Supreme Court of California. The Ninth Circuit sought guidance because "California law [wa]s unsettled in this area," and because of the "significant precedential and public policy importance" of the outcome. The Supreme Court of California agreed to answer the following question: "When a third party sues an employer for the...