Pope v. Business Men's Assur. Co. of America

• Decision Date: 03 October 1939
• Docket Number: No. 24682.,24682.
• Citation: 131 S.W.2d 887
• Parties: IVA P. POPE, RESPONDENT, v. BUSINESS MEN'S ASSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION, APPELLANT.
• Court: Missouri Court of Appeals

131 S.W.2d 887

IVA P. POPE, RESPONDENT, v. BUSINESS MEN'S ASSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION, APPELLANT.

No. 24682.

St. Louis Court of Appeals, Missouri.

Opinion filed October 3, 1939.

Appeal from Circuit Court of St. Francois County. — Hon. Taylor Smith, Judge.

REVERSED.

S.C. Rogers and Raymond S. Roberts for plaintiff-respondent.

(1) The acts and experience of Dr. Pope, causing his death, were not voluntary and intentional. Death resulting from an attempt to extricate oneself from a hazardous position unwittingly entered, is caused by external, violent and accidental means within the meaning of an insurance policy. Powell v. Trav. Pro. Assn., 160 Mo. App. 571; Jamison v. Continental Cas. Co., 104 Mo. App. 306; Lickleider v. Ia. St. Trav. Men's Assn., 166 N.W. 363, L.C.J. 455, Note 44a; U.S. Mut. Acc. Assn. v. Barry, 131 U.S. 100; 33 S. Ct. 60; Caldwell v. Trav. Ins. Co., 305 Mo. 640; Downey v. K.C. Gas. Co., 92 S.W. (2d) 580; Johnson v. Scott Co. Mlg. Co., 101 S.W. (2d) 123; McGlinchey v. Fid. & Gas Co., 80 Maine, 251; Fid. & Cas Co. v. Griner, 44 F. (2d) 706; N.Y. Life I. Co. v. Kassly, 87 F. (2d) 236; London Guar. & Acc. Co. v. Woefle, 83 F. (2d) 325; Columbian Natl. L.I. Co. v. Comfort, 84 F. (2d) 291; Berlau v. Met. L.I. Co., 224 Mo. App. 938, 24 S.W. (2d) 686; Jennings v. Natl. I. & A. Co., 226 Mo. App. 777, 46 S.W. (2d) 226; Gasperina v. Prud. I. Co., 107 S.W. (2d) 819; Christ v. Pac. Mut. L.I. Co., 144 N.W. 161; Newsome v. Com. Cas. Co., 137 S.E. 456; Grab. v. Davis Const. Co., 109 S.W. (2d) 882; Cameron v. Mass. Prot. Assn., 220 Mo. App. 780; Donohue v. Wash. Nat. I. Co. (Ky.), 82 S.W. (2d) 780; Curry v. Fed. L.I. Co., 221 Mo. App. 629, 287 S.W. 1053; Goodes v. Order of U.C.T. of A., 174 Mo. App. 330, 7 A.L.R. 1131, 1133, 56 A.L.R. 1093; Bus. Men's Acc. Assn. v. Schiefelbusch, 262 F. 354; Slack v. K.C. Gas Co., 120 S.W. (2d) 70; Trav. Ins. Co. v. Melick, 65 F. 178; Met. Life Ins, Co. v. Broyer, 20 F. (2d) 818; Fed. Life Ins. Co. v. White (Tex.), 23 S.W. (2d) 832; McKnight v. Fed. L.I. Co., 278 Ill. App. 241; U.S. Mut. Acc. Assn. v. Hubbell, 47 N.E. 544, 40 L.R.A. 453, 56 Ohio St. 516; Husband v. Ind. Trav. A. & A., 130 N.E. 874; Carter v. Stand. Acc. Co., 238 Pac. 259; Bankers H. & A. Co. v. Shadden (Tex.), 15 S.W. (2d) 704; Rogers v. Stand A.I. Co., 200 Pac. 1017, 17 A.L. R. 1183; Ashley v. Agricultural L.I. Co. of Am., 241 Mich. 441, 217 N.W. 27, 58 A.L.R. 1208; Com. Cas. Co. v. Wheeler, 13 Ohio App. 140, 30 Ohio C.A. 257; Natl. L.I. Co. v. Patrick, 28 Ohio App. 267, 162 N.E. 680; N.Y.L.I. Co. v. Gustafson, 55 F. (2d) 236; Met. L.I. Co. v. Funderbruch (Tex.), 81 S.W. (2d) 132; Patterson v. Ocean A. & G. Corp., 25 App. D.C. 46; Budde v. Natl. Trav. B. Assn., 184 Iowa, 1219, 169 N.W. 766; Denton v. Trav. Ins. Co., 25 Fed. Supp. 556; Kahn v. Met. Cas. I. Co., 240 S.W. 793; Farmer v. Ry. Mail Assn., 227 Mo. App. 1082, 57 S.W. (2d) 744. (2) The judgment here is not based on mere guess or speculation; there is ample substantial evidence to support it. Reynolds v. Md. Cas. Co., 274 Mo. 883; Boggess v. Kas. City Ry. Co., 207 Mo. App. 1; Fox v. Mo. Pac. Ry., 335 Mo. 984, 74 S.W. (2d) 608; Morris v. E.I. Dupont de Nemours, 109 S.W. (2d) 1222; Brownlee v. Mut. Ben. H. & A. Assn., 29 F. (2d) 71; Smith v. Mallinckrodt Chem. Wks., 212 Mo. App. 158; Poumeroule v. Cable Co., 167 Mo. App. 533; Mariott v. Mo. Pac. Ry. Co., 142 Mo. App. 204; Wheeler v. Fid. & Cas. Co., 298 Mo. 619; MacDonald v. Met. St. Ry., 219 Mo. 468; Beaber v. Kurn, 231 Mo. App. 22, 91 S.W. (2d) 70; Aetna L.I. Co. v. Caffee, 286 F. 657; Fid. & Cas. Co. v. Howe, 38 F. (2d) 741; Sharp v. Mo. Pac. Ry., 213 Mo. 517; Taylor v. Gen. Acc. Assn., 57 Atl. 830, 208 Pa. 439; Sturm v. Employers' Lia. Assur. Corp., 212 Ill. App. 354; DeVan v. Com. Trav. Mo. App. of A., 92 Hun. 256, 157 N.Y. 690; Rieger v. Mut. L.I., 110 S.W. (2d) 878; Timson v. Coal & Coke Co., 220 Mo. 580; Brock v. Am. Cent. L.I. Co., 44 S.W. (2d) 200. (3) The opinions of the medical experts are based upon justifying facts and not upon mere surmise or speculation. Cases cited under 2 supra are pertinent as well here. Demaet v. Fid. S. & M. Co., 231 Mo. 615; Kelly v. K.C.B. & L. Assn., 229 Mo. App. 686, 81 S.W. (2d) 440; Trav. Ins. Co. v. Drake, 89 F. (2d) 47. (4) A policy of insurance excluding liability if death is due wholly or in part to bodily infirmity or disease, means the cause of the accident and not its effect. Reiger v. Mut. L.I. Co. of N.Y., 110 S.W. (2d) 878. Insured's death was not due even in part to existing bodily infirmity or disease. The medical experts testified he was normal and the trier of the facts so found, and that is conclusive here. Fetter et al. v. Fid. & Cas. Co., 174 Mo. 256, 73 S.W. 592, 61 L.R.A. 459, 97 Am. St. Rep. 560; Goodes v. Order of U.C.T., 174 Mo. App. 330, 156 S.W. 995; Smith v. Wash. Nat. Ins. Co., 91 S.W. (2d) 169; Schepman v. Mut. Ben. H. & A. Assn., 231 Mo. App. 651, 104 S.W. (2d) 777; Pref. Acc. Ins. Co. v. Combs, 76 F. (2d) 775; Trav. Ins. Co. v. Diner, 75 F. (2d) 3; U.S. Fid. & G. Co. v. Blum, 270 F. 946; Mfrs. Acc. I.C. v. Dorgan, 58 F. 945; Cont. Cas. Co. v. Pouquette, 28 F. (2d) 958; Prov. L. & A. Ins. Co. v. Diehlman (Ky.), 82 S.W. (2d) 350. (5) Under all the facts and circumstances, this judgment should be affirmed. Gronoway v. Markham, 115 S.W. (2d) 136; Meinhardt v. White, 107 S.W. (2d) 1061; Boillot v. Inc. Guar. Co., 231 Mo. App. 990, 83 S.W. (2d) 219; Pogue v. Met. L.I. Co., 107 S.W. (2d) 144; Davis v. Mo. Elec. P. Co., 88 S.W. (2d) 217; Benson-Judd Gr. Co. v. Becker, 76 Mo. App. 375; Stewart v. Brinson Wagner Gr. Co., 163 Mo. App. 473; Woefle v. Conn. Mut. L.I. Co., 112 S.W. (2d) 865; Newell v. St. L. Trans. Co., 205 Mo. App. 543, 226 S.W. 80.

Jones, Hocker, Gladney & Grand and Solon T. Gilmore for appellant.

(1) Death due to voluntary and intentional acts on the part of the insured is not effected through "accidental means" within the requirement of an accident policy. Caldwell v. Travelers Ins. Co., 305 Mo. 619; Zach v. Fidelity & Cas. Co., 272 Mo. 997; Atherton v. Railway Mail Assn. (Mo. App.), 221 S.W. 752; Rock v. Travelers Ins. Co. (Calif.), 156 Pac. 1029; Provident Life & Accident Co. v. Campbell (Tenn.), 79 S.W. (2d) 292; Tuttle v. Pacific Mutual Life Ins. Co. (Mont.), 190 Pac. 993; Troupe v. Benefit Assn. of Railway Employees (S.D.), 231 N.W. 529; Koester v. Mutual Life (Del.), 179 Atl. 337; Szymanska v. Equitable Life (Del.), 183 Atl. 309; Shanberg v. Fidelity & Casualty Co. (C.C.A. 8), 158 Fed. 1; Anderson v. Travelers Pro. Assn. (C.C.A. 5), 74 F. (2d) 170; Carswell v. Railway Mail Assn. (C.C.A. 5), 8 F. (2d) 612; Seipel v. Equitable Life (C.C.A. 7), 59 F. (2d) 544; Lincoln National Life v. Erickson (C.C.A. 8), 42 F. (2d) 997; Bennetts v. Occidental Life (Calif.), 178 Pac. 964; Schmid v. Indiana Travelers Assn. (Ind.), 85 N.E. 1032; Feder v. Iowa State Traveling Men's Assn. (Ia.), 78 N.W. 252; Metropolitan Life v. Landsman (Del.), 165 Atl. 563; Lawrence v. Mass. Bonding & Ins. Co. (N.J.), 174 Atl. 226; Wilcox v. Mutual Life (N.Y.), 193 N.E. 436. (2) A finding cannot be based on mere guess or speculation. Phillips v. Travelers Ins. Co., 288 Mo. 175; Kimmie v. Terminal R.R. Assn. (Mo. App.), 66 S.W. (2d) 561, 565; Weber v. Valier & Spies Milling Co. (Mo. App.), 242 S.W. 985; Anderson v. Travelers Pro. Assn. (C.C.A. 5), 74 F. (2d) 170; Ocean Accident & Guarantee Corp. v. Moore (C.C.A. 8), 85 F. (2d) 369; New York Life v. Doerksen (C.C.A. 10), 75 F. (2d) 96; Wallace v. Standard Accident Ins. Co. (C.C.A. 6), 63 F. (2d) 211. (3) Opinion evidence has no probative value when it is not based on facts justifying it, or when it is based upon mere surmise or speculation. Kimmie v. Terminal Railroad Assn., 334 Mo. 596; Derschow v. St. Louis Pub. Serv. Co. (Mo.), 95 S.W. (2d) 1173. (4) Death due wholly or in part to an existing bodily infirmity or disease is within the provision of the policy excluding liability if death is due wholly or in part to bodily infirmity or disease. Christianson v. Metropolitan Life (Mo. App.), 102 S.W. (2d) 682.

McCULLEN, J.

This is a suit on a policy of accident insurance issued by appellant, hereinafter referred to as defendant, to Dr. Charles H. Pope, the deceased husband of respondent. Respondent will be referred to as plaintiff.

Plaintiff's husband, the insured, was found dead in his automobile on the afternoon of November 3, 1934, and plaintiff brought this suit as beneficiary named in the policy, contending that insured's death was accidental within the meaning of the policy.

There were two trials of the case before different juries, in each of which the jury failed to agree and was discharged. Thereafter, by stipulation of the parties, the jury was waived and the cause was submitted to the court on the evidence adduced at the last jury trial, the stipulation providing that the trial court should make and file findings of fact and declarations of law and render judgment accordingly. Thereafter, the trial court rendered judgment in favor of plaintiff and against defendant in the sum of $1200 to bear interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum from January 11, 1935. After an unavailing motion for a new trial, defendant duly appealed to this court.

The policy of insurance involved herein is for the face amount of $1000, with a ten per cent. increase for two years, maturing for $1200. It insured against death "resulting solely from bodily injuries effected directly and independently of all other causes through accidental means." It is further provided in the policy, under the heading "Additional Provisions," that the insurance does not cover bodily injuries, fatal or otherwise, "caused wholly or partly by bodily or mental infirmity ... or by any kind of a disease ..."

The petition of plaintiff alleged the issuance of the policy by defendant, stated its pertinent terms and conditions, and alleged that all premiums had been paid and all conditions required to be performed...