FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEES:
MICHAEL C. TERRELL DONALD K. McCLELLAN
MARY T. DOHERTY McClellan McClellan & Arnold
Sommer & Barnard Muncie, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
EXIDE CORPORATION, )
)
Appellant-Plaintiff, )
)
vs. ) No. 18A05-9908-CV-380
)
MILLWRIGHT RIGGERS, INC., )
)
Appellee-Defendant. )
APPEAL FROM THE DELAWARE CIRCUIT COURT
The Honorable Steven R. Caldemeyer, Judge
Cause No. 18C01-9511-CT-34
EXIDE CORPORATION, )
)
Appellant-Plaintiff, )
)
vs. ) No. 18A04-9906-CV-278
)
BREHOB CORPORATION, )
)
Appellee-Defendant. )
APPEAL FROM THE DELAWARE SUPERIOR COURT
The Honorable James J. Jordan, Judge
Cause No. 18D03-9801-CT-01
April 20, 2000
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
SHARPNACK, Chief Judge
Exide Corporation (Exide) appeals separate trial courts granting of summary judgment in favor
of Brehob Corporation (Brehob) and Millwright Riggers, Inc. (Millwright) (collectively, the contractors).
See footnote
Exide raises seven issues against Brehob and six issues against Millwright, which we
consolidate and restate as:
whether Brehob was entitled to summary judgment on a theory of collateral estoppel
based upon another trial courts grant of summary judgment against Exide on the
same claims that Exide raised against Brehob;
whether the trial courts erred when they entered summary judgment against Exide on
its claims for breach of contract for failure to indemnify;
whether the trial courts erred when they granted summary judgment against Exide on
its claims for breach of contract for failure to pay Exides attorneys fees;
and
whether the trial courts erred when they granted summary judgment against Exide on
its claims for breach of contract for failure to provide insurance coverage.
We affirm in part and reverse in part.
The relevant facts follow. Exide operates a battery-smelter factory in Muncie, and
these appeals arise from two separate negligence claims against Exide for injuries that
were incurred at that facility. In the first case, Exide hired two
contractors, Millwright and Brad Snodgrass, Inc. (Snodgrass), to renovate and repair parts of
the factory in the summer and fall of 1994. Carl Sylvester, a
Snodgrass employee, was working at the Exide facility on October 14, 1994.
Sylvester was walking on a catwalk that Millwright had installed when he fell
through an improperly secured grating and struck the floor approximately twenty feet below,
thereby sustaining serious injuries. Sylvester filed suit against Exide in the Delaware
County Circuit Court on Nov. 29, 1995. On January 25, 1996, Exide
filed its answer and a third-party complaint against Millwright and Snodgrass, claiming that,
pursuant to indemnity agreements that Millwright and Snodgrass had signed, they were contractually
obligated to indemnify Exide, pay Exides attorneys fees, and provide Exide with insurance.
On November 25, 1997, Snodgrass filed a motion for summary judgment against
Exides third-party complaint, and Millwright did the same on December 12, 1997.
After the submission of briefs by the parties, the circuit court granted Snodgrass
and Millwrights motions for summary judgment against Exide on all of its claims
on May 19, 1998, leaving Sylvesters claims to be resolved later.See footnote
We now turn to the second incident at issue. In the winter
of 1995, Exide hired Brehob to repair a hoist system at the factory.
Steve Watkin, a Brehob employee, was working in the factory on December
6, 1995. As Watkin was working, he fell into an opening in
the top of a vat of molten lead and was burned on his
left leg and foot. Brehob Record, p. 18.See footnote Watkin filed suit
against Exide in the Delaware County Superior Court on July 18, 1997.
On September 15, 1997, Exide filed an answer and a third-party complaint against
Brehob, claiming that, pursuant to an indemnity agreement Brehob had signed, Brehob was
contractually obligated to indemnify Exide, pay its attorneys fees, and provide Exide with
insurance. Subsequently, Brehob moved for summary judgment against Exide on December 23,
1998. Following the submission of briefs and oral argument by the parties,
the superior court entered summary judgment in favor of Brehob on May 11,
1999.
When we review a trial courts ruling on a motion for summary judgment,
we are bound by the same standard as the trial court. Ayres
v. Indian Heights Volunteer Fire Dep't, Inc., 493 N.E.2d 1229, 1234 (Ind. 1986);
see Ind. Trial Rule 56. The appellant bears the burden of proving
the trial court erred in determining that there were no genuine issues of
material fact and that the moving party was entitled to judgment as a
matter of law. Rosi v. Business Furniture Corp., 615 N.E.2d 431, 434
(Ind. 1993). Any doubt as to the existence of an issue of
material fact, or an inference to be drawn from the facts, must be
resolved in favor of the nonmovant. Cowe v. Forum Group, Inc., 575
N.E.2d 630, 633 (Ind. 1991). A genuine issue of material fact exists
where facts concerning an issue, which would dispose of the litigation, are in
dispute or where the undisputed facts are capable of supporting conflicting inferences on
such an issue. Scott v. Bodor, Inc., 571 N.E.2d 313, 318 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1991). On appeal, we scrutinize the trial court's determination to
ensure that the nonprevailing party is not improperly denied its day in court.
Perryman v. Huber, Hunt & Nichols, Inc., 628 N.E.2d 1240, 1243 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1994), trans. denied. When the language of a written contract
is not ambiguous, its meaning is a question of law for which summary
judgment is particularly appropriate. Dvorak v. Christ, 692 N.E.2d 920, 923 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1998), rehg denied, trans. denied, 706 N.E.2d 171.
I.
The first issue is whether Brehob was entitled to summary judgment in the
Delaware Superior Court on a theory of collateral estoppel based upon the Delaware
Circuit Courts grant of summary judgment against Exide on the same claims that
Exide raised against Brehob. Exide contends that the entry of summary judgment
in its case against Millwright does not collaterally estop it from raising its
contractual claims against Brehob. Brehob asserts that because Exide raised and litigated
the same issues in the circuit court, and the issues were resolved against
Exide, Exide was barred from raising these claims against Brehob in the superior
court.
Collateral estoppel generally operates to bar a subsequent relitigation of the same fact
or issue where that fact or issue was necessarily adjudicated in a former
suit and the same fact or issue is presented in the subsequent lawsuit.
Hayworth v. Schilli Leasing, Inc., 669 N.E.2d 165, 167 (Ind. 1996) (quoting
Sullivan v. American Cas. Co., 605 N.E.2d 134, 137 (Ind. 1992)). Where,
as here, the defendant seeks to prevent a plaintiff from asserting a claim
that the plaintiff had previously asserted and lost against another defendant, this use
has been termed defensive collateral estoppel. Tofany v. N.B.S. Imaging Sys., Inc.,
616 N.E.2d 1034, 1037 (Ind. 1993). To determine whether the defensive use
of collateral estoppel is appropriate, a court is to consider whether the party
against whom the judgment is pled had a full and fair opportunity to
litigate the issue and whether it would be otherwise unfair under the circumstances
to permit the use of collateral estoppel. Id.
In the instant case, the Delaware Circuit Court granted summary judgment in favor
of Millwright and against Exide on May 29, 1998. However, the Circuit
Court did not enter a final judgment in favor of Millwright pursuant to
Ind. Trial Rule 54(B) until July 23, 1999, which was after the superior
court entered final judgment in favor of Brehob and against Exide on May
14, 1999.
See footnote Because the circuit courts decision in Millwrights case was not
final and was subject to change, the superior court correctly declined to grant
preclusive effect to the circuit courts grant of summary judgment. Consequently, Exide
was not collaterally estopped from raising its breach of contract claims against Brehob
by the summary judgment in Millwrights case.
See, e.g., New Haven v.
Chemical Waste Management, 701 N.E.2d 912, 924 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998), trans. denied,
714 N.E.2d 174 (affirming the trial courts determination that res judicata and collateral
estoppel did not apply because the earlier case had not yet been resolved
on the merits). Therefore, we will address Exides claims against both Brehob
and Millwright on the merits in the following sections.
II.
The second issue is whether the trial courts erred when they entered summary
judgment against Exide on its claims for breach of contract for failure to
indemnify. Exide claims that its contracts with the contractors clearly required them
to indemnify Exide for all negligently caused injuries that occur at its factory,
even injuries that were due to Exides own negligence. The contractors assert
that the contracts did not unambiguously state that they were required to indemnify
Exide for its own negligence, and, therefore, those provisions are unenforceable.
Initially, we review the relevant rules of contract interpretation. When reviewing the
trial courts interpretation of a contract, we view the contract in the same
manner as the trial court. Bicknell Minerals, Inc. v. Tilly, 570 N.E.2d
1307, 1311 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991), rehg denied, trans. denied. The court
should attempt to determine the intent of the parties at the time the
contract was made by examining the language used to express their rights and
duties. See id. at 1313. Words used in a contract are
to be given their usual and common meaning unless, from the contract and
the subject matter thereof, it is clear that some other meaning was intended.
Moore Heating & Plumbing, Inc. v. Huber, Hunt & Nichols, 583 N.E.2d
142, 146 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991). Words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and sections
of a contract cannot be read alone. Id. The entire contract
must be read together and given meaning, if possible. Id.
In regard to indemnification clauses, we have previously stated:
Ordinarily, in the absence of prohibitive legislation, no public policy prevents the parties
from contracting as they desire. In Indiana, a party may contract to
indemnify itself against its own negligence only if the other party knowingly and
willingly agrees to indemnify.
Such provisions are strictly construed, however, and will not be held to provide
indemnity unless so expressed in clear and unequivocal terms. Courts disfavor such
indemnification clauses because to obligate one party to pay for the negligence of
the other party is a harsh burden which a party would not lightly
accept. The concern with the language of an indemnity clause in this
area is that it not only define the area of application, that is,
negligence, but also define the cause of damages in terms of physical or
legal responsibility, that is, to whom the clause applies. For this reason,
the language of the indemnification clause must reflect the indemnitor's knowing and willing
acceptance of the burden and must express the burden in clear and unequivocal
terms.
For example, if a clause simply states that a subcontractor shall indemnify a
general contractor for any negligence which arises from the job, it is sufficient
to show that the clause applies to negligence but is insufficient to inform
the subcontractor that it must indemnify the general contractor for acts of the
general contractor's own negligence. The claim of negligence which arises from the
job could have been caused by the negligence of the general contractor, the
subcontractor, third persons, or a combination of them. This is the very
reason the indemnity for the indemnitee's own negligence must be specifically, not generally,
prescribed. Therefore, in order to reflect a knowing and willing acceptance of
such a harsh burden, the indemnification clause must expressly state, in clear and
unequivocal terms, that the indemnitee agrees to indemnify the indemnitor against the indemnitor's
own negligence.
Id. at 145-146 (citations omitted) (emphasis in original).
In the instant case, the indemnification provisions in the contracts between Exide and
the contractors are identical and provide as follows:
Without limiting the foregoing, Contractor, for itself, its successors and assigns releases Exide
and agrees to indemnify, defend with counsel satisfactory to Exide and hold harmless
Exide and its officers and employees from any against any and all liability,
claims, actions, suits, losses, costs and expenses (including without limitation attorneys fees), fines
or penalties which may arise in any way, directly or indirectly, from Contractor,
its employees, subcontractors and their employees, third persons or the government, and from
entry onto the Site or any other Exide property or from use, the
possession, handling, storage, transportation, and treatment or disposal, of any materials or exposure
thereto or contact therewith. This indemnity shall survive the termination or expiration
of any contract between the contractor and Exide or receipt and removal of
the materials. If any portion of this indemnity shall in the future
be deemed or held to be invalid or unenforceable, the indemnity shall apply
and be enforceable to the maximum extent allowed by law.
Millwright Record, p. 40; Brehob Record, p. 29.
The first step is to determine whether this clause expressly defines negligence as
an area of application in clear and unequivocal terms. Moore Heating &
Plumbing, 583 N.E.2d at 146. The clause discusses liability, claims and suits,
and it contemplates losses, fines, and expenses caused by the contractors and others.
These terms, in context, are the language of negligence and demonstrate that
the clause applies to acts of negligence. See id.
Next, we must determine whether the indemnification clause also expressly states, in clear
and unequivocal terms, that it applies to indemnify Exide for its own negligence.
See id. We conclude that it does not. The clause
explicitly indemnifies Exide for the acts of the contractors and their employees, subcontractors
and their employees, third persons, and the government, but it does not explicitly
state that the contractors must indemnify Exide for its own negligent acts.
The clause contains no clear statement that would give the contractors notice of
the harsh burden that complete indemnification imposes. Consequently, the indemnification clause does
not require the contractors to indemnify Exide for its own negligence, and the
trial courts did not err on this point when they granted summary judgment
in favor of Millwright and Brehob. See Dohm & Nelke v. Wilson
Foods Corp., 531 N.E.2d 512, 514 (Ind. Ct. App. 1988) (affirming the trial
courts determination that an indemnification clause was unenforceable because it did not explicitly
inform the purchaser of a machine that the purchaser was required to indemnify
the manufacturer for the manufacturers own negligence in designing and manufacturing the machine);
cf. Moore Heating & Plumbing, 583 N.E.2d at 144, 147 (determining that an
indemnification clause was enforceable where the clause provided that the contractor would indemnify
its employer to the fullest extent permitted by law for the employers negligence).
See footnote
Summary judgment will be affirmed on appeal if it is sustainable on any
theory or basis found in the material designated to the trial court.
Illinois Farmers Ins. v. Tyson, 634 N.E.2d 1355, 1358 (Ind. Ct. App. 1994),
trans. dismissed. Because we affirm the judgments of the trial courts by
holding that the indemnity provision is unenforceable due to its failure to clearly
state that the contractors were required to indemnify Exide against its own negligence,
we need not address Exides arguments that the indemnity provision is valid because
it is not limited to claims arising out of exposure to hazardous materials
and that the indemnity provision is not invalidated by Ind. Code § 26-2-5-1,
which regulates indemnification clauses in construction and design contracts.
III.
The third issue is whether the trial courts erred when they granted summary
judgment against Exide on its claims for breach of contract for failure to
pay Exides attorneys fees. Exide asserts that even if it has no
claim against the contractors for indemnification, they are still contractually obligated to pay
for the attorneys fees Exide has incurred in the course of defending itself
against Sylvester and Watkins claims. The contractors argue that Exide is not
entitled to recover attorneys fees from them because Exide is not their indemnitee.
As a general rule, a contract for attorneys fees is enforceable according to
its terms unless contrary to law or public policy. Pond v. Pond,
700 N.E.2d 1130, 1136 (Ind. 1998). However, in the instant case, the
contracts contain only one provision for attorneys fees: in the contracts indemnification clauses,
the contractors are required to indemnify, defend with counsel satisfactory to Exide and
hold harmless Exide and its officers and employees from any against any and
all liability, claims, actions, suits, losses, costs and expenses (including without limitation attorneys
fees), fines or penalties which may arise in any way, . . .
. Millwright Record, p. 40; Brehob Record, p. 29. As discussed
above, the indemnification provision is unenforceable because Exide is seeking indemnification from Brehob
and Millwright for its own negligence, and the contracts do not specifically provide
for such indemnification. See supra Part II. Consequently, because the indemnification
clauses are unenforceable, Exide has no contractual right to attorneys fees, and we
find no error in the trial courts judgments on this point.
See footnote
Cf.
Ozinga Transp. Systems, 676 N.E.2d at 388 (affirming the trial courts judgment that
an employer and contractor were entitled to indemnification from a subcontractor and, therefore,
were also entitled to attorneys fees from the subcontractor according to the terms
of the parties indemnification agreement).
IV.
The fourth issue is whether the trial courts erred when they granted summary
judgment against Exide on its claims for breach of contract for failure to
provide insurance coverage. Exide argues that even if the indemnification clauses in
the contracts are invalid, the contractors were still required to provide Exide with
insurance and breached their contracts by failing to do so. The contractors
reply that the insurance provisions in their contracts are inapplicable here because they
do not require the contractors to provide insurance coverage for personal injury negligence
claims. Our discussion of the relevant rules of contract interpretation is set
forth above. See supra Part II.
In this case, the insurance provisions in both contracts are identical and provide
as follows:
Without limiting the foregoing, Contractor shall at its own expense provide evidence of
insurance reasonably satisfactory to Exide, and naming Exide as a co-insured, with respect
to any liability which may accrue from or during the work performed by
Contractor, or as a result of exposure to, or handling of, hazardous materials
or other materials on or off the Site in connection with this contract.
Such insurance shall cover claims made after the policy period based on
events occurring within the policy period (occurrence coverage) OR shall cover events occurring
within the policy period for claims made prior to 60 days of the
end of the policy period (claims made coverage with an extended discovery period),
and shall include provisions for the defense of the claim by the insurer
at its own expense.
Millwright Record, pp. 39-40; Brehob Record, pp. 28-29 (emphasis in original).
Contrary to the contractors arguments, this clause requires them to obtain insurance on
Exides behalf to cover personal injury actions that arise as a result of
their negligent acts. Giving the terms of the clause their usual and
common meanings, the clause unambiguously states that Millwright and Brehob, as contractors, must
obtain insurance to cover any liability which may accrue from or during the
work performed by [the contractors]. Millwright Record, pp. 39-40; Brehob Record, pp.
28-29 (emphasis added). Consequently, the contractors were required to obtain insurance on
Exides behalf to protect Exide against the type of claims that Sylvester and
Watkin filed. See, e.g., Huntington Mortg. Co. v. DeBrota, 703 N.E.2d 160,
165-166 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998) (affirming the trial court where the plain, unambiguous
language of the parties mortgage contract stated that the borrower would pay the
premiums for private mortgage insurance, if such insurance was necessary).
The contractors also assert that the insurance clauses in their contracts are similar
to the indemnification clauses. Therefore, they argue, if the indemnification clauses are
unenforceable, then the insurance clauses must also be invalid. We disagree.
As a matter of interpretation, indemnification agreements that require one party to compensate
the other party for the other partys own negligence are construed much more
strictly than insurance agreements. A stricter reading is given to such indemnification
clauses because indemnification for another partys own negligence is a harsh burden that
a party would not lightly accept. See Moore Heating & Plumbing, 583
N.E.2d at 145. Therefore, such indemnification provisions will not be held to
provide complete indemnity unless the indemnity is expressed in clear and unequivocal terms.
See id.
In contrast, an agreement to insure is an agreement to provide both parties
with the benefits of insurance regardless of the cause of the loss (excepting
wanton and willful acts). Indiana Erectors, Inc. v. Trustees of Indiana University,
686 N.E.2d 878, 880 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997), rehg denied. An agreement
to insure differs from an agreement to indemnify in that, with an agreement
to insure, the risk of loss is not intended to be shifted to
one of the parties, but is instead intended to be shifted to an
insurance company. Id. Neither party intends to assume a potential liability
because both are demonstrating appropriate business foresight in avoiding liability by allocating it
to an insurer. Id. Therefore, standard rules of contract interpretation apply
to insurance agreements, rather than the strict construction given to self-indemnification clauses.
See, e.g., Eli Lilly & Co. v. Home Ins. Co., 482 N.E.2d 467,
470 (Ind. 1985) (Generally, in Indiana, contracts for insurance are subject to the
same rules of interpretation as are other contracts.). Consequently, because we examine
indemnity provisions and insurance provisions using different levels of scrutiny, our determination that
the indemnification provisions in the contracts at issue are invalid does not also
automatically void the insurance clauses.
Furthermore, the court will make all attempts to construe the language in a
contract so as not to render any words, phrases, or terms ineffective or
meaningless. Indiana-American Water Co. v. Town of Seelyville, 698 N.E.2d 1255, 1259
(Ind. Ct. App. 1998). Here, the insurance provisions and the indemnification provisions
appear in separate sections of the contracts. In addition, the indemnification provisions
provide that they operate [w]ithout limiting the foregoing clauses of the contracts, which
includes the insurance clauses. Millwright Record, p. 40; Brehob Record, p. 29.
Consequently, although the indemnity clauses in the contracts at issue are invalid,
the insurance provisions are unaffected and remain valid.
Because we have determined that the insurance provisions in the contracts are valid,
we must next determine whether there is a dispute of material fact as
to whether the contractors have breached their obligations to provide insurance to Exide.
The moving party in a motion for summary judgment bears the burden
of making a prima facie showing that there are no genuine issues of
material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter
of law. Carroll v. Jagoe Homes, Inc., 677 N.E.2d 612, 612 (Ind.
Ct. App. 1997), trans. denied, 690 N.E.2d 1181. Here, neither Millwright nor
Brehob argued to the trial court that they had complied with the insurance
clause of the contract, although Millwright did generally challenge the clauses validity in
the circuit court. In fact, on appeal both contractors concede that there
is no evidence that [they] ever secured liability insurance naming Exide as an
additional insured. Millwrights Brief, p. 23; Brehobs Brief, p. 23. Thus,
summary judgment on this claim is inappropriate because the contractors have both failed
to make prima facie evidentiary showings that there is no material dispute of
fact and that they are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.
See, e.g., Sam v. Wesley, 647 N.E.2d 382, 386 (Ind. Ct. App.
1995) (reversing trial courts entry of summary judgment where the movant had failed
to designate any evidence to the trial court in support of two of
the movants contentions, thereby failing to establish a prima facie showing that the
movant was entitled to judgment as a matter of law).
For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgments of both trial courts in
part, reverse the judgments of both trial courts in part, and remand for
further proceedings.
Affirmed in part and reversed in part.
Riley, J., and Kirsch, J. concur.
Footnote:
Exides separate appeals against Brehob and Millwright were consolidated for assignment
to the same panel because the cases arise out of similar facts, address
the same issues, and focus upon identical contracts.
Footnote: Sylvester dismissed his claims against Exide on June 1, 1999.
On that same day, Exide dismissed its third-party claims against Snodgrass. Neither
Sylvester nor Snodgrass are parties to this appeal.
Footnote: For purposes of clarity, we will address the record from Exides
appeal against Millwright as the Millwright Record, and we will address the record
from Exides appeal against Brehob as the Brehob Record.
Footnote: Indiana Trial Rule 54(B) provides as follows:
(B) Judgment upon multiple claims or involving multiple parties. When more than
one [1] claim for relief is presented in an action, whether as a
claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim, or when multiple parties are involved, the
court may direct the entry of a final judgment as to one or
more but fewer than all of the claims or parties only upon an
express determination that there is no just reason for delay and upon an
express direction for the entry of judgment. In the absence of such
determination and direction, any order or other form of decision, however designated, which
adjudicates fewer than all the claims or the rights and liabilities of fewer
than all the parties shall not terminate the action as to any of
the claims or parties, and the order or other form of decision is
subject to revision at any time before the entry of judgment adjudicating all
the claims and the rights and liabilities of all the parties. A
judgment as to one or more but fewer than all of the claims
or parties is final when the court in writing expressly determines that there
is no just reason for delay, and in writing expressly directs entry of
judgment, and an appeal may be taken upon this or other issues resolved
by the judgment; but in other cases a judgment, decision or order as
to less than all the claims and parties is not final.
T.R. 54(B).
Footnote:
The cases cited by Exide on this issue are distinguishable.
In
Thomson Consumer Electronics, our supreme court determined that the dismissal of a
manufacturers third-party indemnification claim against a contractor was erroneous because the indemnification clause
was subject to differing interpretations with differing consequences. Thomson Consumer Elec., Inc.
v. Wabash Valley Refuse Removal, Inc., 682 N.E.2d 792, 794 (Ind. 1997).
Here, the agreement is not susceptible to differing interpretations because it fails to
clearly indicate that the contractors must indemnify Exide for its own negligent acts.
In Ozinga Transportation Systems, a contractor was seeking indemnification from a subcontractor
for the subcontractors negligence, not its own negligence. Ozinga Transp. Sys., Inc.
v. Michigan Ash Sales, Inc., 676 N.E.2d 379, 388 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997),
rehg denied, trans. denied, 690 N.E.2d 1183. In the instant cases, a
review of the records and the parties briefs demonstrates that Exide is only
seeking to hold the contractors liable for its own negligence and has not
sought indemnification for the contractors negligence. To the extent that Exide is
claiming indemnification from Brehob and Millwright for their own negligence, these claims are
waived for appellate review due to Exides failure to specifically raise them and
support them with citations to legal authority and the records. See Ind.
Appellate Rule 8.3(A)(7); Choung v. Iemma, 708 N.E.2d 7, 13 (Ind. Ct. App.
1999), rehg denied.
Footnote:
The cases cited by Exide do not require a different result
on this issue.
Davis is not binding precedent because it is not
an Indiana case. Davis v. Hoosier Energy Rural Elec. Co-Op, Inc., 19
F.3d 365 (7th Cir. 1994). In Dohm & Nelke, attorney fees were
not in dispute because the third-party plaintiff merely raised a general indemnification claim.
Dohm & Nelke, 531 N.E.2d at 514.