GEICO to Pay Woman $5.2 Million After She Contracted an STD in a Vehicle

Geico will pay a woman $5.2 million in a legal settlement after she contracted an STD in a vehicle.

The Missouri Court of Appeals is siding with the woman who was awarded the $5.2 million after filing an auto injury claim against Geico. The woman, addressed as M.O., says she contracted HPV in a Hyundai sedan whose owner was insured by Geico.

She claims the man she had sexual contact with in his car, didn’t tell her about his health conditions. Because the car was covered by Geico, M.O. says the company should compensate her for medical expenses and the pain and suffering.

Geico denied the woman’s claim and said that its auto insurance coverage didn’t apply. They explained, “The damages claimed did not arise out of the normal use of the vehicle.”

After getting denied, M.O. went to circuit court to enforce an arbitration ruling; and won her case. She was awarded $5.2 million for the health battle she is enduring.

Geico then appealed the ruling to the state court, saying they were never given the chance to defend themselves.

However, in their ruling this week, two judges in the Missouri Court of Appeals said Geico had many chances to act on its behalf and ruled in M.O.’s favor. She has now won three victories in Missouri.

Following their loss, Geico has sued both M.O. and the vehicle owner in federal court. They noted that they don’t have a duty to defend the man from her claims against him and want his claims for coverage to be dismissed.

Although the woman was awarded the $5.2 million, she will be in court in October to battle the lawsuit against her.