Erie Insurance Co. v. Hickman Ex Rel. Smith

DICKSON, Justice.

When defendant-appellant Erie Insurance Company denied the uninsured motorist coverage claims of plaintiffs-appellees Nancy Smith and her daughter Ramona Hickman for damages resulting from an intersection accident, the plaintiffs brought suit and, after jury trial, received judgment for compensatory damages totalling $2,150.72 and punitive damages of $11,000. Erie appealed, claiming the award of punitive damages was not supported by sufficient evidence. The Court of Appeals agreed, reversing the judgment of the trial court. Erie Ins. Co. v. Hickman (1991), Ind.App., 580…