Bates v. Pennsylvania Rd

33 N.E.2d 678, 26 Ohio Law. Abs. 114, 18 Ohio Op. 436, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 851
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 30, 1937
DocketNo 2761
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 33 N.E.2d 678 (Bates v. Pennsylvania Rd) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bates v. Pennsylvania Rd, 33 N.E.2d 678, 26 Ohio Law. Abs. 114, 18 Ohio Op. 436, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 851 (Ohio Ct. App. 1937).

Opinions

OPINION

By HORNBECK, J.

This was an action for money only, which after issue drawn came on for trial' to a court and jury, whereupon, at the conclusion of the plaintiff’s case, the trial judge directed the jury to return a verdict for the defendant. On the verdict thus returned, [115]*115after motion for new trial was filed, submitted and overruled, judgment was entered for the defendant. An appeal on questions of law is prosecuted from the judgment. The assignment of errors challenges the action of the trial court in directing a verdict for the defendant. This is the one and only question presented.

The cause of action instituted by Essie G. Bates, .g'uardian of Lloyd V. Bates, was predicated upon a claim of Lloyd V. Bates for relief because oí disability incurred while a member of the Voluntary Relief Association of defendant company. Lloyd V. Bates, who was a doctor and who hereinafter will be referred to as Doctor Bates, was. on and after December 1, 1922, employed in the Medical Department of the defendant company and while so employed voluntarily became a member of the Relief Department of the defendant company. By the regulations of said Relief Department the defendant promised that in event of disability of a contributing member of the class to which Doctor Bates belonged the defendant would pay to the member the sum of $2.50 per day for a period of not longer than fifty-two weeks and thereafter, during the continuance of disability the sum of $1.25 per day.

The petition avers, and there is no denial, that Doctor Bates performed all the conditions by him to be performed under the regulations of the Relief Department. It is averred and not denied that on February 24, 1928, Doctor Bates, while in the employ of defendant, became entirely disabled for the performance of any work or labor and it is further averred in the petition that this disability continued from the aforesaid date until the date of the filing of the petition. It is averred and admitted that the defendant paid to Doctor Bates the benefits accruing to him by reason of membership in the Relief Department of defendant company up to and including January 31, 1931, and it is averred that the defendant has failed, neglected and refused to pay the plaintiff the payments due and owing thereafter fx*om said date to the date of the filing of the petition.

The answer of defendant company consists of a general denial of the avex-ments of the petition, save admissions as to the representative capacity of plaintiff guardian; the corporate capacity of defendant company; the employment of Doctor Bates by defendant company; his membership in the Voluntary Relief Association; his imported disability on June 1, 1928, diagnosed as psychoneurasthenia; payment of benefits as a member of said Relief Department to January 31, 1931, and sets out nine numbered averments, which in substance are: that on January 31, 1931, Dr. Bates was examined by the Medical Department of said Relief Department, reported recovered and able for duty; again examined on April 8, 1931, by Dr. R. C. Kell, a neurologist connected with said Relief Department, again pronounced fit for work but neither Doctor Bates nor his guardian complained or appealed from the decision of the Superintendent of said Relief Department terminating the payment of relief benefits, except as afterwards stated; that Doctor Bates in his application for membership in the Voluntary Relief Department of defendant company agreed specifically to abide by Rule 64 of the Relief Department, which rule is hereinafter set forth; that Regulation 45 of the Rules and Regulations of said Relief Department provides:

* * jf the injury is of a permanent character benefits will cease when the member shall be declared by the Medical Examiner as able to earn a livelihood in an employment suited to his capacity.
“Disablement from accident occuiring otherwise than as aforesaid, including such as may ax'ise at any time from acts or things having no proper relatioxi .to the performance of duty, or from individual physical condition, or tendency, shall be classed as sickness, and if of a peimanent character benefits will cease when the member shall be declared by the Medical Examiner as able to earn a livelihood in an employment suited to his capacity.”

That in September, 1934, Essie G. Bates, guardian of Lioyd V. Bates, made formal demand to the Relief Department for benefits, which demand was disallowed by the Superintexrdent of said Voluntary Relief Association; that subsequent to this dis-allowance of the claim, the guardian attempted to appeal to the Advisory Committee of the Voluntary Relief Department from the decision of the Superintendent: that such appeal was not taken within thirty days from the denial of said claim by the Superintendent, as required by Regulation 64, which provides:

“All questions or controveries of whatsoever character arising in any manner, or between any parties or persons in connection with the Relief Department, or the operation thereof, whether as to the construction of language or meaning of the [116]*116Regulations of the Relief Department, or as to any writing, decision, instruction or acts in connection therewith, shall be submitted to the determination of the Superintendent, whose decision shall be final and conclusive thereof, subject to the right of appeal to the Advisory Committee within thirty days after notice to the parties interested, of the decision.
“When an appeal is taken to the Advisory Committee it shall be heard by said Committee without further notice at their next stated meeting, or at such future meeting or time as they may designate, upon evidence and argument submitted in writing, and shall be determined by vote of the majority of a quorum,’ or of any other number not less than a quorum of the members present at such meeting, and the decision arrived at thereon by the Advisory Committee shall be final and conclusive upon all parties without exception or appeal.”

That:

■ “The decision of the Superintendent in 1831 terminating benefits became final at the expiration of thirty days therefrom, when neither the said Lloyd V. Bates or Essie G. Bates, as his guardian, appealed from said decision. If said decision was not final, then the decision of said Superintendent in September, 1934, disallowing the claim of Essie G. Bates, as guardian, for benefits became final, when within thirty days therefrom neither Lloyd V. Bates or Essie G. Bates, as his guardian, appealed therefrom. In any event, the decision of the Advisory Committee was final, conclusive and binding upon the parties.”

The plaintiff, replying to the answer, avers:

“that full compliance on behalf of the plaintiff was had with the requirements of the rules and regulations of the defendant a,nd that if there was any variation therein 1he same, was waived by the defendant, which by its Advisory Committee finally considered the claim of plaintiff and denied the same."

Plaintiff further avers that:

“the rulings, findings and decisions of the defendant were fraudulent and collusive and were manifestly mistaken and constituted an abuse of discretion in that at all of the times averred since the 24th day of February, 1928, the said Lloyd V. Bates was and is now suffering from a mental sickness known as dementia praecox; that the same was notoriously known to all persons with whom the said Lloyd V.

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Bluebook (online)
33 N.E.2d 678, 26 Ohio Law. Abs. 114, 18 Ohio Op. 436, 1937 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 851, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bates-v-pennsylvania-rd-ohioctapp-1937.