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Wood v. Utah Farm Bureau Insurance Company2/8/2001
ling by terminating Stokes prior to his goal deadline. Thus, the trial court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Farm Bureau on the issue of good faith and fair dealing was improper only as it pertains to Stokes.
V. Interference With Economic Relations and Punitive Damages
Plaintiffs finally assert summary judgment was improperly granted in favor of Farm Bureau in relation to Plaintiffs' punitive damage claim. Punitive damages "cannot be awarded for a breach of contract unless the breach amounts to an independent tort." Highland Constr. Co. v. Union Pacific R.R. Co., 683 P.2d 1042, 1049 (Utah 1984). The only tort Plaintiffs assert is intentional interference with economic relations. Although Plaintiffs argued intentional interference and punitive damages in their briefs, they conceded at oral argument that they cannot establish a claim for punitive damages. Therefore, we conclude the trial court properly granted summary judgment on these causes of action as to all Plaintiffs and do not address those issues further.
CONCLUSION
The trial court properly granted summary judgment on all causes of action by Wood, Tanner, and Syphus. Except for causes of action for wrongful termination and breach of good faith and fair dealing, summary judgment was properly granted on Stokes's causes of action.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings.
Russell W. Bench, Judge
WE CONCUR:
Norman H. Jackson, Associate Presiding Judge
James Z. Davis, Judge
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