avis rent a car system, llc et al v. o'donnell complaint

8/21/2019 AVIS RENT A CAR SYSTEM, LLC et al v. O'DONNELL complaint

1/8

UNITED

STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT

OF

VERMONT

A VIS RENT A CAR SYSTEM, LLC and )

ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY, )

)

Plaintiffs, )

)

v.

)

)

SHAUN O DONNELL, )

)

Defendant. )

COMPLAINT

US

r r · · r QiJRT

LJl•.

t t a o

OISTf{I T OF VEHt 10HT

FILED

2 15 JUN t5 PM Lt: 09

Plaintiffs Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and ACE American Insurance Company, by and

through counsel, Sheehey Furlong Behm P.C., hereby complain against Defendant Shaun

O'Donnell as set forth below.

PARTIES, JURISDICTION, VENUE

1. This is an action for declaratory relief pursuant to

28

U.S.C. § 2201 and Rule 57

of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

2. Plaintiff A vis Rent A Car System, LLC ( Avis ) is a limited liability company

organized under the laws of the State of Delaware with its principal place

of

business in the State

ofNew Jersey.

3. Plaintiff ACE American Insurance Company ( ACE ) is an insurer organized

under the laws

of

the State

of

Pennsylvania with its principal place of business in the State

of

Pennsylvania.

4. On information and belief, Defendant Shaun O'Donnell ( O'Donnell ), a natural

person, is a citizen of Vermont.

Case 2:15-cv-00132-wks Document 1 Filed 06/15/15 Page 1 of 8


2/8

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2



3/8

14

The Rental Document Jacket contains the Rental Terms and Conditions, which

in part describe liability protection included in the rental fee and optional insurance available to

the renter for additional fees. A true copy o the Rental Document Jacket is attached hereto

as

Exhibit

2

15

Paragraph 1 o the Rental Document Jacket states, These terms and conditions,

the rental document signed by you, and a return record with computed rental charges together

constitute the rental agreement between yourself and A vis Rent A Car System, LLC, or the

independent Avis System Licensee identified on the rental document ( Avis ). Exhibit 2

16

Paragraph 2 o the Rental Document Jacket states in part, You agree to the terms

below and on the other panels o this Rental Document Jacket provided any such term is not

prohibited by the law o a jurisdiction covering this rental, in which case such law controls.

Exhibit

2

17 Paragraph 19 o the Rental Document Jacket states in part:

Liability Protection Anyone driving the car who is permitted to drive it by this

agreement will be protected against liability for causing bodily injury or death to

others or damaging the property

o

someone other than the authorized driver

and/or the renter up to the minimum financial responsibility limits required by the

law o the jurisdiction in which the accident occurs. . . . You agree that we can

provide coverage under a certificate

o

self-insurance or an insurance policy, or

both, as we choose. In any case, a copy

o

the policy and/or certificate will be

available for your inspection at our main office. You understand that unless

required by applicable law, we will not provide (a) coverage for fines, penalties,

punitive or exemplary damages; (b) coverage for bodily injury

to

you, or your

death while not a driver, or any member o your family or the driver's family

members related by blood, marriage or adoption residing with you or them; or the

drivers family, or to a fellow employee arising out

o

or in the course o

employment; (c) defense against any claim, unless we are required to provide

primary protection, but in such event not after the applicable limits o protection

that we furnish are tendered; (d) supplementary no fault, noncompulsory

uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage, and any other optional or rejectable

coverage, and you and we reject all such coverages to the extent permitted by law.

Where any

o

these coverages are required or implied by law, the limits shall be

the mini-mum required under applicable statute. Where permitted by law, you are

3



4/8

rejecting uninsured or underinsured motorist and all optional automobile

insurance coverages and under any policy

o

insurance or certificate o self-

insurance in connection with this agreement, for you and all other passengers in

the car. You understand that uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

protects you and other passengers in a car for losses and damages suffered i

injury is caused by the negligence o a driver who does not have any insurance or

has insufficient insurance to pay for losses and damages.

Exhibit 2 (emphasis in original).

18 Paragraph 20 o the Rental Document Jacket states:

Additional Liability Insurance (ALI)

&

Exclusions.

You'll pay for additional

liability insurance coverage i available and you accept it. In that case, the

coverage provided by us according to paragraph 19 above will be primary and the

combined limits

o

liability protection shall be $1,000,000 or $2,000,000,

depending on the place o rental for bodily injury, death, or property damage for

each accident, but not for more than the contracted $1,000,000 or $2,000,000

limit for each accident, instead o the basic limits stated in paragraph 19 above.

This additional coverage will be provided to an authorized driver,

as

defined in

paragraph 18, under a separate policy o excess liability insurance more fully

described in the available brochure and is subject to all

o

the conditions and

limitations described in paragraph 19 above, except that notwithstanding anything

contained in this agreement, the terms o the policy will at all times control.

ALI

does not apply to liability for bodily injury or property damage arising out

o

any prohibited use

o

the car as described in paragraph 17

o

this rental

agreement, all

o

which are exclusions to ALI. Other exclusions to ALI are

listed in the ALI policy.

You understand that you will be charged the rate per

day for a full day even

i

you don't have the car for the entire day.

Exhibit 2 (emphasis in the original).

19 The Brochure referenced m Paragraph 20 o the Rental Document Jacket

describes the insurance options, including ALI, that were available to O'Donnell in connection

with the rental. A true copy

o

the Brochure is attached hereto

as

Exhibit 3

20. The Brochure states in part:

ALI is a special optional service offered by Avis when you rent an Avis car. It's

an Excess Automobile Liability Insurance Policy . . . . ALI is a separate

insurance policy issued to A vis by ACE American Insurance Company. It is made

available to you for an additional daily charge as shown on the A vis Rental

Agreement.



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8/8

WHEREFORE, Avis and ACE respectfully request that the Court:

A.

Declare that the ALI Policy does not provide coverage to O Donnell for the

damages alleged in the Kanyange Complaint;

B. Award Plaintiffs attorneys fees and costs to the extent they are recoverable; and

C

Issue such further rel ief as the Court deems

just

and proper.

Dated at Burlington, Vermont this

15

1

h

day

o

June, 2015.

Craig

S

N an, Esq.

SHEEHEY FURLONG BEHM P.C.

Attorney for Plaintiff

30 Main Street

P.O. Box 66

Burlington, Vermont 05402-0066

(802) 864-9891

[email protected]

8


avis rent a car system, llc et al v. o'donnell complaint

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