Barnett v. Travelers Ins. Co.

• Decision Date: 09 April 1929
• Docket Number: No. 8308.,8308.
• Parties: BARNETT v. TRAVELERS' INS. CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Eighth Circuit

32 F.2d 479 (1929)

BARNETT v. TRAVELERS' INS. CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN.

No. 8308.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.

April 9, 1929.

William R. Gentry, of St. Louis, Mo. (M. F. Watts, of St. Louis, Mo., on the brief), for appellant.

Frank H. Sullivan, of St. Louis, Mo. (James C. Jones, Lon O. Hocker, Eugene H. Angert, and James C. Jones, Jr., all of St. Louis, Mo., on the brief), for appellee.

Before VAN VALKENBURGH and COTTERAL, Circuit Judges, and SCOTT, District Judge.

VAN VALKENBURGH, Circuit Judge.

April 1, 1906, the Travelers' Insurance Company, appellee, issued to one Harry K. Barnett a policy of accident insurance whereby it insured him "against bodily injuries, effected directly and independently of all other causes, through external, violent and accidental means (suicide whether sane or insane is not covered), as specified in the following schedule:

"Schedule of Indemnities.

"If any one of the following disabilities shall result from such injuries alone within ninety days from the date of accident the Company will pay in lieu of any other indemnity.

                  Part A.  Single Payments.                 In One Payment
                  For Loss of Life ....................... The Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Both Hands by severance
                   at or above the wrist ................. The Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Both Feet by severance
                   at or above the ankle ................. The Principal Sum
                  For Loss of One Hand at or
                   above the wrist and One Foot
                   at or above the ankle (by severance) .. The Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Entire Sight of Both
                   Eyes, if irrecoverably lost ........... The Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Either Hand by severance
                   at or above the wrist ................. ½ of Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Either Foot by severance
                   at or above the ankle ................. ½ of Principal Sum
                  For Loss of Entire Sight of One
                   Eye, if irrecoverably lost ............ ½ of Principal Sum
                

"The Payment in any such case shall end this policy."

The principal sum of the policy in the first year was $5,000, and with 5 per cent. increase annually for ten years it amounted to $7,500.00. It was in full force and effect by renewal on the 26th day of August, 1925. On that day the insured suffered an accident which ultimately resulted in his death. In an operation upon the nose of decedent the operator cut into an artery which was found in an unexpected place, due, perhaps, to a previous operation upon the septum. This accident resulted in recurring hemorrhages, from one of which death ensued on the 28th day of November, 1925. Other clauses in the policy material to this discussion are the following:

"Part D. Special Indemnity.

"If the death of the Insured shall be caused by sunstroke, effected through external, violent and accidental means, independently of all other causes, within ninety days from the date of exposure, the Company upon proof thereof, will pay the Original Principal Sum provided hereunder for fatal bodily injuries.

"Part E. Surgical Benefits.

"If injuries covered by this Policy shall within ninety days from the date thereof necessitate an operation named in the Schedule of Operations, by a surgeon, the Company will pay as specified in the Schedule, in addition to the indemnity herein provided, but such payment shall not be made for more than one operation as the result of any one accident. If injuries are sustained, which shall not result in death or other disability, but which shall require surgical treatment other than specified in the Schedule of Operations, the Company will pay the amount actually expended for such treatment, but not exceeding the single indemnity for one week.

"In event of death the principal sum insured shall be paid to Mrs. Sarah B. Barnett (wife) ...