Zalma on Insurance
Education • Business
Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
July 11, 2024
Common Law Right Eliminated by Statute

No Right to Rescind Workers’ Compensation in Mississippi

Post 4831

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/g3sf4v5f; see the full video at https://lnkd.in/giTV6SEa and at https://lnkd.in/g3fFfbbv and https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4800 posts.

The Supreme Court of Mississippi answered in the negative the inquiry from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that certified the following question to this Court: “Does the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Act (MWCA) allow an insurer to void ab initio a workers’ compensation policy based on a material misrepresentation?”

The decision came in American Compensation Insurance Company v. Hector Ruiz et al, No. 2023-FC-01160-SCT, Supreme Court of Mississippi (June 27, 2024) the Supreme Court answered the question in the negative.

THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION STATUTE

The MWCA is silent with regard to the equitable remedy of rescission as are most statutes that have no reason for a statute to deal with equitable remedies.

The statutory contractor (who will be on the hook if the subcontractor’s insurer is permitted to void the policy) argued that, because the MWCA does not provide for rescission-only cancellation and nonrenewal – then rescission is not an available remedy. The insurer (who will be on the hook for millions of dollars if not permitted to void the policy) argued that, because the legislature opted not to address rescission in the MWCA, reasonably argued that the common law remedy of voiding the policy ab initio is available.

The Mississippi Supreme Court noted that a workers’ compensation policy is different. Not only is it governed exclusively by statute, but also it exists to pay benefits to the injured worker.

Because the MWCA makes no provision for an insurer to void a workers’ compensation policy based on a material misrepresentation and because the MWCA exists to ensure injured workers are compensated, the Supreme Court concluded that the MWCA does not allow insurers to void ab initio a workers’ compensation policy based on an employer’s material misrepresentation.

BACKGROUND FACTS

The employer is Hector Ruiz, doing business as Los Primoz Construction. Ruiz was performing work as a subcontractor for contractor Jesco, Incorporated, when his employee Raul Aparacio fell more than fifteen feet and severely injured himself.

Ruiz had a workers’ compensation insurance policy with the American Compensation Insurance Company (ACIC). ACIC initiated a declaratory action in federal court seeking to retroactively void the policy. ACIC alleged that Ruiz materially misrepresented in his application that his company did not perform work more than fifteen feet above ground. ACIC asserted that, had Ruiz been truthful, ACIC would not have issued the policy. It argued that since the statute did not change the common law right to rescind a contract it was entitled to rescind.

The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Act (MWCA) Controls

The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Act (MWCA) represents a wide departure from common law by providing compensation to employees accidentally injured during the course and scope of their employment, regardless of fault. This right to recovery comes at the exchange or abrogation of the common law right to recovery from a potentially negligent employer.

RESCISSION IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE STATUTE

Rescission is a retroactive remedy and renders a contract unenforceable from the outset. In the workers’ compensation context, however, the Supreme Court found that allowing rescission is tantamount to allowing an insurer to retroactively cancel a policy rather than the common understanding that a rescinded policy never existed.

The Supreme Court concluded that in Mississippi, voiding the policy ab initio is inconsistent with the “purpose” of Section 71-3-77(1)-which is to provide assurance to the commission that eligible employees are protected under the act.

Finding the MWCA precludes a common law rescission action, the Supreme Court does not hold that an insurer like ACIC has no remedy against an employer who allegedly makes a material misrepresentation. The sole question is whether the MWCA permits the remedy of voiding a policy ab initio based on an employer’s material misrepresentation. And to this question, the Supreme Court answered “no,” it does not.

COLEMAN, JUSTICE, DISSENTING:

Justice Coleman noted that Mississippi has recognized and followed a robust common-law of contracts since well before the State adopted its Workers Compensation Law in 1948 and there is nothing in the Workers’ Compensation Law generally, and nothing in Section 71-3-77 specifically, that abrogates the common law of contracts principle that a contract based on a material misrepresentation is void ab initio. Justice Coleman disagreed with the majority’s holding and answer to the Fifth Circuit’s question because, according to well-settled law, a clear statement of intent, not silence, is required to abrogate the common law.

ZALMA OPINION

Mississippi, like almost every state, applies the common law and its equitable remedies. One of those remedies is called rescission that finds it is unfair to require a person to fulfill the terms of a contract that is obtained as a result of a misrepresentation or concealment of facts material to the acceptance of the contract and treats such contracts as if they never existed. That common law right can only, in my opinion, be eliminated by a direct and specific action of the Legislature. By allowing rescission, the employer instead of the insurer must pay for the workers’ compensation benefits owed to the injured employee, and allowing rescission might deprive that employee of the benefits does not support forcing the insurer to pay millions of dollars of benefits it would not have owed had the insured been truthful. I understand why the court did what it did but believe Justice Coleman was more in line with the law since the Legislature could have included in the statute the elimination of the right to rescission. It did not.

(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the videos and let them subscribe to the blog and the videos.

Subscribe to my substack at https://barryzalma.substack.com/subscribe or Subscribe to my substack at https://lnkd.in/gmmzUVBy

Go to Newsbreak.com https://www.newsbreak.com/@c/1653419?s=01; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/account/content?type=all; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg.

Go to X @bzalma; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk

00:10:39
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
September 05, 2025
Interpleader Helps Everyone Potential Claimant to Insurance Proceeds

Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer

Who’s on First to Get Life Insurance Proceeds

Post 5184

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gyxQfnUz and at https://lnkd.in/gAd3wqWP, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

Go to X @bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gRthzSnT; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://lnkd.in/g2hGv88; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYk.
Interpleader Protects All Claimants Against Life Policy and the Insurer

In Metropolitan Life Insurance Company v. Selena Sanchez, et al, No. 2:24-cv-03278-TLN-CSK, United States District Court, E.D. California (September 3, 2025) the USDC applied interpleader law.
Case Overview

This case involves an interpleader action brought by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (Plaintiff-in-Interpleader) against Selena Sanchez and other defendants (Defendants-in-Interpleader).

Key Points

Plaintiff-in-Interpleader’s Application:

The Plaintiff-in-Interpleader...

00:06:34
September 05, 2025
Demands for Reasons for Termination not a “Claim”

A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182

It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gfbwAsxw, See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gea_hgB3 and at https://lnkd.in/ghZ7gjxy, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.

Case Background:

This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...

00:08:22
September 04, 2025
Demands for Reasons for Termination not a “Claim”

A Claim by Any Other Name is not a Claim
Post 5182

It is Imperative that Insured Report Potential Claim to Insurers

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gfbwAsxw, See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gea_hgB3 and at https://lnkd.in/ghZ7gjxy, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

In Jeffrey B. Scott v. Certain Underwriters At Lloyd’s, London, Subscribing To Policy No. B0901li1837279, RLI Insurance Company, Certain Underwriters At Lloyds, London And The Insurance Company, Subscribing To Policy No. B0180fn2102430, No. 24-12441, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (August 25, 2025) the court explained the need for a claim to obtain coverage.

Case Background:

This appeal arises from a coverage dispute under a Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance policy. Jeffrey B. Scott, the plaintiff-appellant, was terminated from his role as CEO, President, and Secretary of Gemini Financial Holdings, LLC in October 2019. Following his termination, Scott threatened legal action against Gemini, and ...

00:08:22
September 03, 2025

Barry Zalma: Insurance Claims Expert Witness
Posted on September 3, 2025 by Barry Zalma
The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit

© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE

When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.

On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive ...

post photo preview
September 03, 2025
Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE Insurance Claims Expert Witness

The Need for a Claims Handling Expert to Defend or Prove a Tort of Bad Faith Suit
© 2025 Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE

When I finished my three year enlistment in the US Army as a Special Agent of US Army Intelligence in 1967, I sought employment where I could use the investigative skills I learned in the Army. After some searching I was hired as a claims trainee by the Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Company. For five years, while attending law school at night while working full time as an insurance adjuster I became familiar with every aspect of the commercial insurance industry.

On January 2, 1972 I was admitted to the California Bar. I practiced law, specializing in insurance claims, insurance coverage and defense of claims against people insured and defense of insurance companies sued for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. After 45 years as an active lawyer, I asked that my license to practice law be declared inactive and became a consultant and expert witness for lawyers representing insurers and lawyers ...

post photo preview
September 03, 2025
Evidence Required to Prove Breach of Contract

APPRAISAL AWARD SETS AMOUNT OF DAMAGES RECOVERED FROM INSURER

Post 5180

See the full video at https://rumble.com/v6yd2z0-evidence-required-to-prove-breach-of-contract.html and at https://youtu.be/2ywEjs3hZsw, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence

Evidence Required to Prove Breach of Contract

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/evidence-required-prove-breach-contract-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-rfelc, see the full video at https://rumble.com/v6yd2z0-evidence-required-to-prove-breach-of-contract.html and at https://youtu.be/2ywEjs3hZsw, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.

It’s a Waste of Time to Sue Your Insurer if You Don’t Have Evidence

In Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes v. Homeowners Of America Insurance Company, No. 01-23-00844-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (August 26, 2025) Debbie Beaty and Jonathan Hayes filed a claim under their homeowner’s insurance policy with Homeowners of ...

See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals