Marker v. United States
Marker v. United States
Opinion of the Court
This suit is now before the court upon issues of fact presented by the second amended complaint, answer of defendant, reply of plaintiff, the evidence appearing in a stipulation and oral testimony taken. A demurrer to the first ameixded complaint was sustained upon the ground that it appeared therefrom
The testimony bearing upon this issue relates to the evidence of the plaintiff, where he states that the reason he did not demand payment of his original poliey at the time he applied for the converted policy was that he did not think he was totally and permanently disabled, as he had received a letter from the Chairman of the Board of Appeals of the United States Veterans’ Bureau at Seattle, Wash., in reply to his letter, being Plaintiff’s Exhibit No. 15, stating that to be permanently and totally disabled he would have to have lost both legs, or both arms, or both eyes, or so sick as to be unable to do anything, and also relied upon what his insurance officer told him at the hospital, that if he was entitled to the insurance they would notify him; that the only notice he received as to his original poliey expiring, unless it was converted, was in a newspaper article in one of his home papers, wherein it was stated: “Veterans’ Insurance — Last Call. State Commander Ernest W. Ellis, has received word that the week of January 31 to February 7 has been named in a proclamation by President Coolidge as a period for nationwide effort to induce all ex-service men to reinstate their lapsed war risk insurance. The date for reinstatement of yearly renewal term insurance has been extended to July 2,1927, after which the insurance cannot be reinstated. ‘Many veterans do not seem to know about the continuance of the War Risk Insurance after the war,’ the president said, ‘and its conversion within a limited time into such form or forms of insurance usually issued by 'life insurance companies.’ ” That it was in May, 1929, when he first heard of Government Regulation No. 11, and the definition of permanent and total disability contained therein.
The evidence seems to show that the plaintiff is now and was, within the meaning of the definition given in Regulation No. 11, permanently and totally disabled during the life of the original poliey, as he was struck while in the service with fragments, of high explosive shell which inflicted severe injuries upon him.
There remains then one question for decision, as to whether the plaintiff is now estopped from a recovery upon the original poliey by reason of having reinstated and converted the original poliey into a term life insurance policy. If the converted poliey “was entered into through 'fraud 'or mistake, it may be rescinded or avoided by appropriate proceedings under principles applicable to such eases.” U. S. v. Buzard (9 C. C. A.) 33 F.(2d) 883, 886; U. S. v. Allen (9 C. C. A.) 33 F.(2d) 888. In the amended complaint and plaintiff’s reply, sufficient facts are alleged showing that the converted poliey was entered into through mutual mistake, and he there offers to surrender all of his rights thereunder to the defendant. The undisputed evidence offered by him discloses that he was one of little education and ignorant of his legal rights, as he had worked upon a farm all of his life and did not go to school very much, and at the time he applied for the converted insurance he did not think he was permanently disabled, as he relied upon what the government insurance officer told him at the hospital and the reply of the Veterans’ Bureau to his letter, where he asked for a review by the Board of Appeals for a permanent and total rating, and in reply
A decree will be entered rescinding and canceling the outstanding policy of government term insurance No. K-681.860, issued to the plaintiff, and that the same be surrendered by tbe plaintiff to tbe defendant, and for tbe relief prayed for in plaintiff’s amended complaint.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARKER v. UNITED STATES
- Status
- Published