McDonald v. United States, 8560.

• Decision Date: 19 January 1938
• Docket Number: No. 8560.,8560.
• Parties: McDONALD v. UNITED STATES.
• Court: U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit

94 F.2d 893 (1938)

McDONALD v. UNITED STATES.

No. 8560.

Circuit Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.

January 19, 1938.

John M. Coe and Philip D. Beall, both of Pensacola, Fla., for appellant.

George Earl Hoffman, of Pensacola, Fla., for the United States.

Before FOSTER, HUTCHESON, and HOLMES, Circuit Judges.

HUTCHESON, Circuit Judge.

The suit was on a converted war risk insurance policy. The claim was that before March 1, 1933, when his policy lapsed, appellant was stricken with active pulmonary tuberculosis, in such a state of advance and incurability as rendered him totally and permanently disabled.

The United States denied this, and, the evidence all in, obtained a favorable ruling on its motion for an instructed verdict. This appeal tests that ruling for error.

The case has this unusual feature: That, though appellant does not claim to have been totally and permanently disabled until January, 1933, in order to make out his case he made proof that as far back as June, 1921, "active pulmonary tuberculosis of the right apex moderately advanced" was discovered, and that from then on the disease has been active. He offered clinical records in the files of the Veterans' Bureau showing examination after examination, and finding after finding, at different dates, of tuberculosis, pulmonary, chronic; only one, on March 13, 1923, showing "far advanced active," while there was a report three days later, "moderately advanced." Thereafter the findings show chronic pulmonary tuberculosis, moderately advanced. There is no further finding of "far advanced"; all of the findings, as late as that of June 24, 1935, are "moderately advanced."

In addition to this evidence he offered testimony of a physician who had known plaintiff for many years; that he had examined him from time to time from 1923 to 1932, and on all of the occasions he found him suffering from active, pulmonary tuberculosis. This physician testified that at the last examination in 1932 or 1933 he found plaintiff unable to perform bodily work or labor without ill effects upon his health, but that with proper supervision and hospital care plaintiff could probably perform clerical duties if not too strenuous, with little or no effect upon his health. He testified, too, that he had seen the plaintiff in March, 1937; that he presented practically the same physical appearance he did at the time of the last examination; and that in his opinion his active tubercular condition has existed since he first saw plaintiff, in 1924.

Plaintiff argues from this continued activity of the disease that the condition of totality which he claims was arrived at by January, 1933, is thus shown to be not temporary and curable, but permanent and incurable. Appellee, on its part, argues from the same facts, supplemented by proof of appellant's failure to accept and avail of proper hospitalization, and his more or less active life of work and responsibility, to a different conclusion. It insists that the fact that appellant, without hospitalizing himself, has been able to carry on through this long period with the disease never becoming more than moderately advanced, together with the fact that plaintiff continued at gainful employment, at various places from 1924 to 1933, and the fact that he was found on an examination conducted from March 26 to April 14, 1932, to be physically sound, except for minor disabilities, makes it perfectly clear...