Elbag v. United States
Elbag v. United States
Opinion of the Court
This is a petition to recover upon certificates of war risk insurance. The veteran enlisted May 7, 1917, and thereafter obtained certificates of war risk insurance aggregating $10,000, which lapsed, for nonpayment of premium on December 31,1918. He subsequently converted and reinstated the policies for smaller amounts, but, inasmuch as he is now seeking to recover on the policies first issued and which expired December 31, 1918, the only question presented is whether, on or before that date, he had become 'totally and permanently. disabled within the meaning of the contract.
Elbey enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was sent overseas. After he had been in France nearly a year, he suffered a complete mental collapse. He was deluded and hallucinated and at times was so violent that he had to be kept in close confinement. This condition continued until after his return to this country. He was first hospitalized in this country in the Naval Hospital in West Virginia, and then at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington. He was in this latter hospital from May, 1918, to March, 1919, and during that period he showed marked symptoms of mental disorder. His ease was diagnosed as dementia praeeox. When his condition had sufficiently improved, he was discharged and sent to his home in Worcester, Mass. He has no memory of the psychotic periods in France, and only a hazy recollection of his hospitalization at St. Elizabeth’s. He gave a history of what the doctors expressed as schizophrenia — a splitting of the mind, during and after his military service in France. After his return to his home, he did little or no work, nothing more than odd jobs now and then which were
At the West Roxbury hospital, his disorder was diagnosed as dementia praecox, simple type, and at Northampton it was diagnosed as manie depressive psychosis. It is significant that at neither of these hospitals was he discharged as a patient completely recovered, but was only given temporary leave of absence.
It is quite apparent that this veteran was constitutionally unstable with a form of mentality which medical experts would define as constitutional psychopathic inferiority, and that this condition existed when he enlisted, and that it was because of this condition that he was unable to withstand without harmful effects the harrowing experiences of the war. One of the marked characteristics of this psychopathic inferiority is, to use the language of one of the witnesses, a “tendency to veer about in one’s mode of life * * * to follow emotional trend rather than businesslike occupation.” Whether his episodes were symbolic of dementia praecox or of manie depressive psychosis, it is none the less the fact that they aggravated the condition and were a contributing cause to the impairment of his capacity to apply himself with substantial regularity to any useful occupation. There was medical testimony that such an episode as Elbey experienced in France would result in a general breaking up of the personality so that thereafter he would not be able to carry on as he did before.
It is no answer to say that a stronger personality would have withstood the pressure of the war or would have made a better recovery. We have to deal with the case of one who, when insured, was psychopathieally inferior, and with effects that were produced upo'n the particular individual.
This mental condition which has rendered it impossible for Elbey to consistently apply himself to any one task clearly had its origin while he was in the service and before the lapse of the policies. It is equally clear that since his return he has not at any time been able to carry on with substantial regularity any gainful occupation. While it is true that he was able, to embark upon numerous adventures, he did not evince the ability to hold any ‘job in the ordinary competition of life. This is the test. Knight v. United States (D. C.) 45 F.(2d) 202; United States v. Cox (C. C. A.) 24 F.(2d) 944.
There can be little doubt, on the evidence, that this disability was due to an impairment of mind, induced or aggravated by the mental abberations which occurred while the veteran was in the service and from the effects of which he has never recovered.
I have been asked to rule that, inasmuch as the veteran enlisted a second time, in 1919, he thereby is to be conclusively presumed to have been sound in body and mind at the time of the enlistment, citing the case of Caprio v. United States (C. C. A.) 45 F.(2d.)
My conclusion, therefore, is that the veteran became totally and permanently disabled on or before December 31, 1918, and that the plaintiff is entitled to recover on the certificates of war risk insurance issued January 1 and February 12, 1918, respectively, and that upon surrender of any subsequent contracts, or policies, he is entitled to a judgment for the amount lawfully due.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- ELBAG v. UNITED STATES
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published