Jewell v. Equitable Life Assurance Society
Jewell v. Equitable Life Assurance Society
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
Plaintiff in error brought an action at law against the defendant in error, to recover upon an insurance policy issued by the defendant and dated the 25th day of October, 1932.
The pertinent provision of the contract was the agreement of the defendant to pay to the plaintiff the sum of fifty dollars per month, in the event that plaintiff during the life of the policy should become permanently and totally disabled as set forth in the contract of insurance.
The basis of recovery is set forth in the notice of motion as follows:
When the case was called for trial, defendant filed a written plea, denying its indebtedness to the plaintiff. The record fails to show that plaintiff was called upon for a bill of particulars, or that grounds of defense were called for. Upon the general allegation that plaintiff was entitled to recover on the ground of permanent and total disability, issue'was joined.
There have been two trials of the case by a jury, each of which resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff. The evidence upon the first trial is not made a part of the present record, and therefore, cannot be considered in determining the correctness of the action of the trial court in sustaining the motion of the defendant to set aside the
The main assignment of error is that the trial court erred in setting aside the verdict of the jury on the ground that it was contrary to the evidence and was without evidence to sustain it.
Plaintiff, at the time of the issuance of the insurance policy, was thirty-eight years of age; he was, as the evidence shows, in good health; weighed one hundred and eighty-eight pounds, and had for a period of fifteen years followed his chosen profession as a civil engineer. In March, 1933, plaintiff, as shown by his evidence, became totally and permanently disabled. His weight decreased from one hundred and eighty-eight pounds to one hundred and fifty pounds.
After receipt of notice of plaintiff’s disability, the defendant directed him to its physician for an examination. The report of this examination is not filed in the record, but it does appear that beginning on March 15, 1933, and ending on January 15, 1934, the plaintiff received the sum of $550.00. It also appears that prior to the examination of plaintiff by Doctor Showver, plaintiff was, at the direction of defendant, examined by Doctor J. G. Storie. As a result of that examination, Doctor Storie wrote the following letter to defendant:
“Nov. 17, 1934
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States,
393 Seventh Avenue,
New York.
“I am writing you about disability claim No. 843Í703, of Artemus B. Jewell.
“This man has some obscure (trouble) which I have not been able to lócate and he keeps on the downward trend, and it would be my advice for you to send him to some hospital for observation.
“Yours very truly,
J. G. Storie, M. D.”
“Q. Well, state in a general way what you found to be wrong, if anything, with Mr. Jewell in these various examinations which you gave him?
“A. I found him with high blood pressure and a heart and kidney condition and nervousness.”
This answer denotes the only specific diagnosis of Doctor Farley. He was not requested, on cross-examination, to enlarge upon this statement. He was, however, cross-examined as to whether or not he made a blood test in order to diagnose the extent of plaintiff’s kidney trouble, and stated that in an acute kidney condition such an examination was not necessary and therefore no such examination was made.
In rebuttal of plaintiff’s case, the defendant introduced evidence to show that during plaintiff’s alleged disability he
The crux of the defense relied upon by the defendant is the evidence of Doctor W. R. Williams and Doctor W. H. Sears. In brief, they stated that they examined the plaintiff in July, 1935. As a result of this examination they found no indication whatever that plaintiff then had or had ever had nephritis, or, in the language of the layman, a chronic condition of the kidneys; that nephritis was an incurable disease and that at the time of the examination made by them plaintiff did not have anything the matter with him.
The trial court, in a written opinion, accepted the testimony of these two eminent physicians and said:
“Eminent physicians testify that plaintiff does not have and has never had Bright’s disease and that they find no support for his claim that he is totally or permanently disabled.
“It is thought that the evidence is insufficient to support the jury’s verdict.”
It is this conclusion which is here attacked.
Whatever may have occurred in the first trial of this case to lead the trial court to the conclusion that the claim of plaintiff was based upon the fact that his disability was due to nephritis or Bright’s disease, and that such a condition never existed, there is, in our opinion, no basis for such a conclusion in the record before this court. Even though we should concede that the evidence is conflicting, the conflict was a question to be settled by the jury and not by the court. However, we do not comprehend any conflict as displayed by the record.
Doctor Farley stated that the plaintiff had high blood pressure, a heart and kidney condition, was in a nervous condition during the period of his disability, and that he treated him for an acute kidney trouble. The statement of the two eminent physicians called as witnesses by the defendant testified that plaintiff was nevler afflicted With nephritis. Whatever the correct diagnosis of plaintiff’s
The judgment of the trial court will be set aside and annulled and the verdict of the jury will be reinstated and judgment entered thereon in this court.
Reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Artemus B. Jewell v. The Equitable Life Assurance Society
- Status
- Published