Jensen v. United States

Decision Date09 June 1937
Docket NumberNo. 992.,992.
PartiesJENSEN v. UNITED STATES.
CourtU.S. District Court — District of Idaho

Ben B. Johnson, of Preston, Idaho, and Hawley & Worthwine, of Boise, Idaho, for plaintiff.

John A. Carver, U. S. Dist. Atty., and E. H. Casterlin and Frank Griffin, Asst. U. S. Dist. Attys., all of Boise, Idaho, for defendant.

CAVANAH, District Judge.

This action was brought December 18, 1936, for a recovery upon a policy of insurance issued while Bennie Jensen was in the military service.

On April 9, 1929, the insured was adjudged an incompetent person by the probate court of Franklin county, Idaho, and the plaintiff C. L. Greaves was appointed as his guardian. On May 20, 1931, plaintiff demanded of the defendant, United States, the benefits of the contract of insurance, and at the time filed with the United States Veterans' Bureau a claim for the insurance which was denied August 10, 1936, by the administrator of the Veterans' Affairs, acting through his board of Veterans' Appeals, and notice thereof was mailed on that day.

The sole question now presented on the demurrer of the defendant is as to whether plaintiff is barred in bringing the action for failure to institute it within ninety days from the date of the denial of the claim on August 10, 1936, as provided in the amended Act of June 29, 1936, § 404, 38 U.S.C.A. § 445d, and whether the time to bring the action is governed by section 445, title 38 U.S.C.A. The provisions of these statutes are: Section 445, "Infants, insane persons, or persons under other legal disability, or persons rated as incompetent or insane by the Veterans' Administration shall have three years in which to bring suit after the removal of their disabilities."

Section 445d of 38 U.S.C.A., section 404 of the Act of June 29, 1936 provides: "In addition to the suspension of the limitation for the period elapsing between the filing in the Veterans' Administration of the claim under contract of insurance and the denial thereof by the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs or someone acting in his name, the claimant shall have ninety days from the date of the mailing of notice of such denial within which to file suit."

It will be observed from section 445 that incompetent persons holding insurance contracts with the United States shall have three years in which to bring suit, after removal of their disability. While under section 445d of the amended act additional time of ninety days within which to file suit is granted to those who are not infants, insane persons, or under other legal disability, or rated as incompetent, or insane by the Veterans' Administration, and the amended act was not intended to, nor does it take away the right of the insane person to institute his suit at any time within three years of the removal of his disability. The mere filing of the...

To continue reading

Request your trial
3 cases
  • Timoni v. United States
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit
    • June 13, 1969
    ...States, 100 F.2d 43, 45-46 (8th Cir. 1938). 34 See United States v. Pastell, 91 F.2d 575, 579 (4th Cir. 1937); Jensen v. United States, 19 F.Supp. 494, 495 (D. Idaho 1937). 35 See note 17, supra. 36 See note 17, supra. 37 Burnett v. New York Cent. R. R., 380 U.S. 424, 426, 85 S.Ct. 1050, 10......
  • Portland Trust & Savings Bank v. United States
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — District of Oregon
    • October 3, 1938
    ...v. United States, supra; Viccioni v. United States, D.C., 14 F.Supp. 95; Holm v. United States, D.C., 15 F.Supp. 662; Jensen v. United States, D.C., 19 F.Supp. 494; See Note, 112 A.L.R. 12 Wolf v. United States, supra, where it is pointed out that such a doctrine is applied generally by the......
  • Raker v. United States, 1953-A.
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Western District of New York
    • May 16, 1938
    ...that is not a sufficient plea of insanity or even mental disability. Plaintiff cites Holm v. U. S., D.C., 15 F.Supp. 662; Jensen v. U. S., D.C., 19 F. Supp. 494; Viccioni v. U. S., D.C., 14 F. Supp. 95. None of these cases supports plaintiff's position. In the Holm Case it was held that the......

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT