Current Events > Geico forced to award woman $5.2m cause she contracted std during car sex.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.kansascity.com/news/article262267902.html

The Missouri Court of Appeals has affirmed that an insurance company must pay a $5.2 million settlement granted to a Jackson County woman who claimed she unwittingly caught a sexually transmitted disease from her former romantic partner in his car. In an opinion issued Tuesday, a three-judge panel found that the judgment entered against GEICO General Insurance Company through earlier arbitration proceedings was valid. The insurance companies sought to undo the action, claiming errors were made in Jackson County Circuit Court and the settlement agreement was not done in line with Missouri law. According to court papers, the woman, identified in court records only as M.O., notified GEICO in February 2021 of her intention to seek monetary damages, alleging she contracted HPV, the human papillomavirus, from an insured member in his automobile. She contended the man caused her to be infected with the STD despite being aware of his condition and the risks of unprotected sex.

The insurance company declined the settlement, sending the case to arbitration. In May 2021, the arbitrator found that the man and woman had sex inside his vehicle that directly caused, or directly contributed to cause the HPV infection. The man was found liable for not disclosing his infection status and the woman was awarded $5.2 million for damages and injuries to be paid by GEICO.

The insurance company filed motions seeking a new hearing of the evidence and for the award to be tossed out, saying the judgment violated the companys rights to due process and the arbitration agreement was unenforceable. The company appealed after those requests were denied. The three-judge panel tasked with reviewing the case found that the lower court did not make a mistake by denying the companys motions, saying GEICO did not have a right to relitigate those issues once damages had been determined and a judgment was entered. Judge Tom Chapman concurred in a separate opinion, though, saying he believes GEICO was offered no meaningful opportunity to participate in the lawsuit and existing law relegat(es) the insurer to the status of a bystander.

While I think the judgment is wrong I find it highly amusing that a large company actually lost a judgment in arbitration despite being the one to pick the arbitrator. Like, that's not supposed to happen. So kinda funny seeing binding arbitration pay off for the little guy even though it's completely ridiculous.

This is absolutely absurd and goes against the point of car insurance, but also lol suck it insurance company.

Lol. Get fucked geico. Shitty company in the first place

Slut. But a rich slut now.

The_Creep_2020 posted...

This is absolutely absurd and goes against the point of car insurance, but also lol suck it insurance company.

People who use Geico are going to have to eat that mess.

That's really dumb

Lol. 5 million for a disease that most adults have.

DemonBuffet posted...

Slut. But a rich slut now.

Where did this come from?

Lol fuck this world

i remember when i saved a buncha money on my car insurance by switching 2 geico i literally pay half of what i used 2 for only a lil less coverage

but yeah this is ridiculous and those companies have 2 much money

prisonerd posted...

i remember when i saved a buncha money on my car insurance by switching 2 geico

and wearing a condom!

Heartomaton posted...

Where did this come from?

Sex in the back of a car that resulted in an STD

A good amount of the adult population has the gift that keeps on giving

Huh, well that's the weirdest insurance claim I've ever heard

I disagree with their judgement but ehh I guess

Irony posted...

Sex in the back of a car that resulted in an STD

I didn't think have sex in a car and having an STD were things only sluts did.

I think I should be insulted.

So wait if auto insurance needs to pay out for an STD obtained in a covered automobile (presumably through the liability coverage), then doesnt that open the doors for similar claims to be paid for STDs obtained in a house covered by a homeowners policy?

A_Good_Boy posted...

I find it highly amusing that a large company actually lost a judgment in arbitration despite being the one to pick the arbitrator. Like, that's not supposed to happen. So kinda funny seeing binding arbitration pay off for the little guy even though it's completely ridiculous.

Right? And as soon as the arbitration goes against them they want to cry about how their own arbitration agreement isn't enforceable. Whereas if you don't like the result "tough shit, the arbitration agreement is legally binding."

The company I work for had an arbitration agreement in our packet of paperwork they handed out during orientation. I asked if employment was contingent on signing that particular paper. They said no, so I took it out and set it in the center of the table. Everyone else just sort of silently stared at me. I guess they all just signed stuff without reading. One asked me why it mattered. I had to explain to them what it was and why I wasn't signing it. They immediately pulled it out of their packet, already signed, and threw it away.

I was baffled at why they would sign something without even knowing what it was. This person didn't know what arbitration was and obviously didn't even read that page because it spelled it out for them pretty clearly.

The Popo posted...

So wait if auto insurance needs to pay out for an STD obtained in a covered automobile (presumably through the liability coverage), then doesnt that open the doors for similar claims to be paid for STDs obtained in a house covered by a homeowners policy?

No, this was just a decision found through arbitration. All the courts did was affirm that particular decision; this isn't precedent setting.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Because Missouri

I have to admit, I never thought I would ever read a news story that made me feel like a giant insurance company got unjustly robbed.

This is somehow even dumber than the Red Bull wings lawsuit. At least they technically did false advertise. Geico never said you can't catch STDs in insured vehicles, it's car insurance not hoe insurance. >_>

Woah I didnt know we could do this

I gotta get tested, $5 millon dollars baby!!!!!

Not to be outdone State Farm will be forced to pay child support after a teenage girl gets pregnant in a car they insured.

Better get your lawsuits in quick! Geico might start checking transcripts cause it wants to know if the arbitrators it hires have passed Sex Ed.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Because in the American legal system, we let 12 people too goddam stupid to get out of jury duty be jurors

Nice

What happens if geico doesnt pay?

The Popo posted...

So wait if auto insurance needs to pay out for an STD obtained in a covered automobile (presumably through the liability coverage), then doesnt that open the doors for similar claims to be paid for STDs obtained in a house covered by a homeowners policy?

What if I contract COVID while riding with a passenger.

Get fucked GEICO!
*Geico gets HPV in the back seat of a car and sues.

DemonBuffet posted...

Slut. But a rich slut now.

cringe

Illuminoius posted...

cringe

just mark the post and ignore them

I am so confused. How is Geico liable for any of this

Gee, companies sure love to force arbitration until it blows up in their face, then they're all like "waah, that's not what a real court would've said"

That said,
PatrickMahomes posted...

How is Geico liable for any of this

I feel like there's more to this story that we're not seeing

I think insurance companies are evil shit, but also I literally can't comprehend how GEICO can conceivably be held liable for this. Your policy outlines exact details of what costs they will cover for you, and I can't think of anything that could be interpreted as covering a person's actions inside the vehicle.

Also really confused as to how contracting HPV, a preventable condition, results in $5 million of damages.

Weird timeline lol.

cjsdowg posted...

People who use Geico are going to have to eat that mess.

If they insist, Id recommend they use a dental dam

Insurance is such a massive scam. Especially legally required car insurance, it's just gambling for a bad outcome. And when that bad outcome hits, you have to fight tooth and nail to get what you actually paid for. Insurance is one of those reeeeeal late stage capitalism things that most have just gotten used to, don't realize how insanely scummy the entire thing is.

Anyways, always glad to see an insurance company pay out big. Gives the little guy hope.

I thought Geico was a decent insurance company, didnt know it was so hated. Whats better?

nexigrams posted...

Insurance is such a massive scam. Especially legally required car insurance, it's just gambling for a bad outcome. And when that bad outcome hits, you have to fight tooth and nail to get what you actually paid for. Insurance is one of those reeeeeal late stage capitalism things that most have just gotten used to, don't realize how insanely scummy the entire thing is.

Anyways, always glad to see an insurance company pay out big. Gives the little guy hope.

Yup, I know quite a few people whove had their income protection policy voided by insurance companies because they just didnt wanna pay.

One of my cousins had income protection insurance & life insurance with a company, he got bowel cancer and died at 32. Insurance company refused to pay out, just because. As soon as my cousins widow got a lawyer, there was suddenly no problems with paying out, for some strange reason.

Nonsensical ruling.

This is fair fuck Insurance companies

The insurance company declined the settlement, sending the case to arbitration.
...
The insurance company filed motions seeking a new hearing of the evidence and for the award to be tossed out, saying the judgment violated the companys rights to due process and the arbitration agreement was unenforceable.

Fucking lmao

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/0/2/AABhrNAADUQa.jpg

Ah, the common cold of the sex world.

Anyone who has sex is a slut in an incels mind huh?

This is one of those "Okay you got away with it THIS time..." that needs to immediately change.