Callahan v. Connecticut General Life Ins. Co.

• Decision Date: 08 December 1947
• Docket Number: No. 40429.,40429.
• Parties: ROBERTA CALLAHAN, an Individual and ROBERTA CALLAHAN, Guardian and Curator of NORMA L. CALLAHAN, a Minor, Appellants, v. CONNECTICUT GENERAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a Corporation.
• Court: Missouri Supreme Court

207 S.W.2d 279

ROBERTA CALLAHAN, an Individual and ROBERTA CALLAHAN, Guardian and Curator of NORMA L. CALLAHAN, a Minor, Appellants, v. CONNECTICUT GENERAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a Corporation.

No. 40429.

Supreme Court of Missouri.

Division Two, December 8, 1947.

Motion for Rehearing or to Transfer to Banc Overruled, January 12, 1948.

Appeal from Clay Circuit Court. — Hon. James Rooney, Judge.

AFFIRMED AND REMANDED.

Robert F. Sevier and White & Hall for appellants.

(1) The trial court erred in setting aside the verdict and judgment for plaintiffs and in granting the defendant a new trial. Because no error was committed in admitting improper or prejudicial evidence or failing to strike out answers of plaintiffs' witnesses. R.S. Mo., 1939, secs. 9766, 9781; Griffith v. Continental Cas. Co., 253 S.W. 1043, 299 Mo. 426; Simpson v. Wells, 227 S.W. 520, 292 Mo. 301; Williams v. Mutual Life Ins. Co., 283 S.W. 64; Van Crome v. Travelers Ins. Co., 11 F. (2d) 350; Jones v. Mutual Life Ins. Co., 113 F. (2d) 873; Key v. Cosmopolitan Ins. Co., 103 S.W. (2d) 797. (2) Plaintiffs' instructions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 13 were not erroneous. Farmer v. Railway Mail Assn., 57 S.W. (2d) 744, 227 Mo. App. 1082; Layton v. Metropolitan Ins. Co., 89 S.W. (2d) 576; Elbe v. John Hancock Ins. Co., 155 S.W. (2d) 302; Commonwealth Casualty Co. v. Wheeler, 13 Ohio App. 140; Natl. Life Ins. Co. v. Patrick, 162 N.E. 680, 28 Ohio App. 267; Federal Life Ins. Co. v. White, 23 S.W. (2d) 823; McKnight v. Federal Life Ins. Co., 278 Ill. App. 241; Wills v. Midland Natl. Life Ins. Co., 91 Pac. (2d) 695, 108 Mont. 536; Ashley v. Agricultural Life Ins. Co., 241 Mich. 441, 217 N.W. 27, 58 A.L.R. 1208. (3) Instruction 2. Driskell v. United States Health & Acc. Ins. Co., 93 S.W. 880, 117 Mo. App. 362; Roberts v. Woodmen Accident Co., 129 S.W. (2d) 1053, 233 Mo. App. 1058; Stillman v. K.C. Life Ins. Co., 180 S.W. (2d) 605; Smith v. Washington Natl. Ins. Co., 91 S.W. (2d) 169; Winkler v. Standard Acc. Ins. Co., 236 S.W. 1065; Propst v. Capitol Mutual Ins. Co., 124 S.W. (2d) 515, 233 Mo. App. 612. (4) Instructions 3 and 4. Ingle v. Sovereign Camp, 216 S.W. 787, 204 Mo. App. 597; Bateman v. Travelers Ins. Co., 85 S.W. 128, 110 Mo. App. 443; Morris v. Equitable Assur. Soc., 102 S.W. (2d) 569, 340 Mo. 709; Lovelace v. Travelers Protective Assn., 126 Mo. 104, 28 S.W. 877; Powell v. Travelers Protective Assn., 140 S.W. 939, 160 Mo. App. 571; Waters v. Merchants Ins. Co., 11 Peters, 213, 9 L. Ed. 691; 6 Couch, Encyclopedia of Insurance, p. 5339. (5) Instruction 5. Curtis v. Indemnity Co., supra; Childers v. Natl. Life & Acc. Co., 37 S.W. (2d) 490; Best v. Liverpool, London & Globe Ins. Co., 49 S.W. (2d) 230.

Henry I. Eager, Blackmar, Newkirk, Eager, Swanson & Midgley, and Lawson & Hale for respondent; B.M. Anderson and E.J. McAlenney of counsel.

(1) A verdict should have been directed for defendant at the trial, and failing of this, the court should have sustained defendant's after-trial motion for judgment: such is true because on the undisputed facts there was no death from bodily injuries effected directly and independently of all other causes through external, violent, and accidental means. This court should now enter judgment for the defendant under Section 140 of the Civil Code. Mullaney v. Prudential Ins. Co., 37 Fed. Supp. 462, 125 F. (2d) 900; Inter-Ocean Casualty Co. v. Foster, 147 So. 127; Kinavey v. Prudential Ins. Co., 27 Atl. (2d) 286; Pope v. B.M.A., 235 Mo. App. 263, 131 S.W. (2d) 887; Caldwell v. Travelers, 305 Mo. 619, 267 S.W. 907; Winton v. Metropolitan Life, 124 S.W. (2d) 712; Ruona v. New York Life, 68 F. Supp. 923; Landress v. Phoenix Mutual, 291 U.S. 491; New Amsterdam Casualty Co. v. Johnson, 91 Ohio St. 155; Baliki v. Central Greyhound Lines; 150 F. (2d) 402; Montgomery Ward & Co. v. Duncan, 311 U.S. 243; State v. Shipman, 189 S.W. (2d) 273; Russell v. Metropolitan Life, 149 S.W. (2d) 432; Podesta v. Metropolitan Life, 150 S.W. (2d) 596; Camp v. John Hancock Mutual, 165 S.W. (2d) 277; Sellars v. John Hancock, 149 S.W. (2d) 404; McCrary v. New York Life, 84 F. (2d) 790; Western Commercial Travelers v. Smith, 85 F. 401; Central Bank v. General American Life, 105 F. (2d) 878; Hassay v. Metropolitan Life, 43 N.E. (2d) 229; Thom v. Metropolitan Life, 2 So. (2d) 269; Hutton v. States Acc. Ins. Co., 108 N.E. 296; Harrison v. Prudential Ins. Co., 6 N.E. (2d) 991; McNamara v. Metropolitan Life, 46 Atl. (2d) 798; F. & C. Co. v. Stacey, 143 Fed. 271; Tuttle v. Pacific Mutual, 190 Pac. 993, 58 Mont. 121; Raven Halls v. U.S. Fidelity & Guar. Co., 254 N.Y.S. 589; Sec. 10, Art. V, Mo. Constitution, 1945; In re Duren, 200 S.W. (2d) 343. Sontag v. Stix, 199 S.W. (2d) 371; State ex rel. Booker v. Bland, 197 S.W. (2d) 967. (2) Passing, for the sake of argument, the failure of the trial court to direct a verdict for the defendant or enter judgment for defendant, then the court correctly granted a new trial. For errors in evidence. Schmidt v. Royal Arcanum, 207 S.W. 874; Childers v. Natl. Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 37 S.W. (2d) 490; New York Life v. Anderson, 66 F. (2d) 705; Thrower v. Life & Casualty Co., 141 S.W. (2d) 192; Gilpin v. Aetna Life, 234 Mo. App. 566, 132 S.W. (2d) 686; Basham v. Prudential Ins. Co., 232 Mo. App. 782, 113 S.W. (2d) 126; Life Ins. Co. of Virginia v. Brockman, 3 S.E. (2d) 480; Rees v. Jefferson Standard, 5 S.E. (2d) 154; Ziolkowski v. Continental Casualty Co., 263 Ill. App. 31; Swanson v. Prudential Ins. Co., 271 Ill. App. 309; Bishop v. Chicago City Ry., 204 Ill. App. 286; Gilchrist v. Mystic Workers, 188 Mich. 466, 154 N.W. 575; Equitable Life Assur. Soc. v. Stinnett, 13 F. (2d) 820; Greenberg v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America, 40 N.Y.S. (2d) 494. (3) There were errors in the giving and refusal of instructions. Mullaney v. Prudential Ins. Co., 37 Fed. Supp. 462, 125 F. (2d) 900; Rhine v. New York Life, 273 N.Y. 1, 248 App. Div. 133; Rubin v. Metropolitan Life, 278 N.Y. 625, 251 App. Div. l.c. 384; Maynard v. Mutual Life, 165 S.W. (2d) 385; Blackburn v. Home Life, 120 Pac. (2d) 31; Bonzon v. Metropolitan Life, 143 S.W. (2d) 336; Blair v. Acacia Mutual, 121 S.W. (2d) 193. (4) The submission of the issue of attorneys' fees under Section 6040, R.S. 1939, was erroneous under the evidence, and the section itself is now unconstitutional as an unwarranted burden on interstate commerce in violation of Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution of the United States. Volz v. Travelers Ins. Co., 161 S.W. (2d) 985; Sanderson v. New York Life Ins. Co., 194 S.W. (2d) 221; State ex rel. Gnekow v. U.S.F. & G. Co., 163 S.W. (2d) 86; Howard v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 350 Mo. 17, 164 S.W. (2d) 360; Camdenton School Dist. v. New York Cas. Co., 340 Mo. 1070, 104 S.W. (2d) 319; Bouligny v. Metropolitan Life, 179 S.W. (2d) 109; Truitt v. Natl. Life & Acc., 236 Mo. App. 1036, 161 S.W. (2d) 683; Fletcher v. Metropolitan Life, 137 S.W. (2d) 621; Trantham v. Home Ins. Co., 137 S.W. (2d) 690. United States v. Southeastern Underwriters Assn., 322 U.S. 533; Polish Natl. Alliance v. Natl. Labor Relations Board, 322 U.S. 643; Southern Pacific Co. v. Arizona, 325 U.S. 761; New York Life v. Deer Lodge County, 231 U.S. 495.

BOHLING, C.

This cause was certified here by the Kansas City Court of Appeals because a constitutional issue is presented for determination. (See, 201 S.W. 2d 406.) It is an action by Roberta Callahan, as an individual and as guardian and curator of Norma L. Callahan, a minor, the named beneficiaries (hereinafter designated plaintiff), under a double indemnity rider of an insurance policy issued on the life of Neel L. Callahan, the husband and father. Callahan's feet were frozen on December 13, 1944, which the attending physician stated was the prime cause of his death on December 26, 1944, with tetanus a secondary advent. The Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, a corporation, acknowledged its liability for the $2,500 straight life indemnity but denied liability under the $2,500 rider for death resulting from "bodily injuries effected directly and independently of all other causes through external, violent, and accidental means."¹

Plaintiff had a verdict for $2,500 on the policy, $75 for interest, and $500 for attorney fees, and a judgment for $3,075. Insurer's motion for new trial was sustained and plaintiff appealed. The contested issues involve the submissibility of a case of death by "accidental means"; the admission of certain evidence, the giving and refusing of instructions, and whether Sec. 6040, R.S. 1939, authorizing recovery for vexatious delay now constitutes an undue burden on interstate commerce under Sec. 8, Art. I of the United States Constitution.

Mr. Callahan and Walter F. Millichip left North Kansas City in Callahan's Ford coach between 7:00 and 7:30 P.M. December 12, 1944, to see Dr. Earl K. Langford at Platte City on an American Legion matter. Callahan was an insurance agent, worked out of doors, was warmly dressed in an overcoat for the trip, was 45 years old and in good health. Arriving at Langford's between 9:00 and 10:00 P.M., they remained there for thirty minutes to an hour. Callahan was an experienced automobile driver but preferred to have others drive. He was not familiar with the highways around Platte City. Callahan had a bottle of liquor (a "fifth") in the automobile. They had a drink when they started and another at Langford's. Millichip stopped on the return trip at Coffey's tavern, about six miles south of Platte City. He lived at Houston Lake and wanted to get something to eat and a ride home from the tavern. Millichip headed Callahan's car back towards Platte City when he parked it. He testified Callahan, at the time, was awake and all right. Millichip expected to be in the tavern but a few minutes and Callahan remained in the car. Insurer's witness Clevenger, who left the tavern about this time, testified that from the movements of Callahan's head and shoulders he was then under the influence...