Bishop v. State Auto. Mut. Ins. Co.

Orville and Linda Bishop filed a complaint against State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company (State Auto) seeking damages for breach of contract and bad faith refusal to pay an insurance claim. The trial court granted State Auto's motion for a directed verdict on the bad faith claim. A jury returned a verdict in favor of the Bishops on the contract claim and also awarded the Bishops $15,000 for punitive damages. The parties' joint motion to strike the punitive damages award was granted by the trial court. The Bishops appeal contending that the trial court erred in granting a directed verdict…