Binn v. United States

389 F. Supp. 988
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedMarch 26, 1975
DocketCiv. A. 74-C-330, 74-C-365
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 389 F. Supp. 988 (Binn v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Binn v. United States, 389 F. Supp. 988 (E.D. Wis. 1975).

Opinion

DECISION AND ORDER

REYNOLDS, Chief Judge.

The above-entitled personal injury actions arise out of a single automobile-pedestrian accident which occurred on August 3, 1971, in Racine, Wisconsin. Consequently, these actions are consolidated for purposes of this decision and order.

Martha M. Binn, the plaintiff in both actions, was struck while crossing an intersection by a government vehicle driven by Lawrence E. Williams, a member of the United States Air Force. The case of Binn v. United States, No. 74-C-330, was commenced in this court on August 2, 1974, and although the complaint fails to specifically allege the basis of this court’s jurisdiction in derogation of Rule 8(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the complaint alleges that Lawrence E. Williams, the driver of the automobile involved, was a member of the United States Air Force, operating a government-owned vehicle and was acting within the scope of his employment at the time of the accident. Thus, the court will consider plaintiff’s complaint to assert this court’s jurisdiction under the Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b).

Binn v. Williams, No. 74-C-365, was commenced in the Circuit Court of Racine County on August 2, 1974, against Williams as the driver of the vehicle involved. This state court complaint does not specifically allege that Williams was acting within the scope of his federal employment at the time of the accident. On August 30, 1974, this state court action was removed to this court upon the petition of the United States of America pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d). The petition for removal was accompanied by the certificate of Robert J. Griffin, a transportation officer of the Air Force, indicating that on the date of the accident Lawrence E. Williams was operating a government vehicle on an authorized trip and was at all material times a federal employee acting within the scope of his federal employment.

The United States asserts that this state action must be deemed a tort action against the United States and is removable under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d). Plaintiff has never moved to remand the action to the state court. The Government has interposed motions to dismiss in both of these actions.

I.

In Binn v. United States, No. 74-C-330, the United States has moved to dismiss the action on its merits for the reason that the plaintiff failed to file an administrative claim within a period of two years following the accident, and, consequently, the Government asserts that the action is forever barred pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b) which provides:

“A tort claim against the United States shall be forever barred unless it is presented in writing to the appropriate Federal agency within two years after such claim accrues * * * »

As noted above, this accident occurred on August 3, 1971, and, consequently, the action against the United States is forever barred unless plaintiff filed the required claim prior to August 3, 1973. The only correspondence received from the plaintiff within the two-year period was a letter of August 5, 1971, from plaintiff’s attorney addressed to the Serviceman, Lawrence Williams, in which plaintiff’s attorney advised Mr. Williams of his representation of the plaintiff. The next correspondence from the plaintiff was a letter from plaintiff’s attorney addressed to the Judge Advocate General’s Office, Chanute Air Force Base. This letter is dated August 17, 1973, which is outside the two-year limitation period for filing a claim under the statute. This letter contained no claim for damages.

*991 On August 23, 1973, standard government forms for filing a claim were sent to plaintiff’s attorney. The forms were not completed and returned to the Chanute Air Force Base claims office until July 5, 1974. Thus, all correspondence other than the August 5, 1971, letter is outside the limitation period of two years. Consequently, only the August 5, 1971, letter could constitute a claim tolling the limitation period.

This Court concludes that the letter of August 5, 1971, is insufficient to constitute a claim under 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b). In Johnson v. United States, 404 F.2d 22 (5th Cir. 1968), the Court found that a similar letter from plaintiff’s attorney was not a claim under 28 U.S.C. § 2401(b) because it was not filed on standard government forms and because it did not state the amount of the claim. Also, in Ianni v. United States, 457 F.2d 804 (6th Cir. 1972), it was held that an attorney’s letter advising of his retention was not a claim within § 2401 (b) in that the letter did not claim a sum certain. In addition, § 2401(b) requires that the claim be presented to a “Federal agency.” The August 5, 1971, letter was addressed to Lawrence Williams, the serviceman involved, and was not presented to a “Federal agency.” Consequently, the Court concludes that no timely claim was made in this action and, therefore, it is barred pursuant to § 2401(b).

In response to the Government’s motion, plaintiff asserts that even if the August 5, 1971, letter is insufficient under § 2401(b), the Government failed to follow its standard military procedure of promptly forwarding a standard claim form to the plaintiff in response to the letter. Essentially plaintiff contends that the Government’s failure to timely forward the standard form constituted an extension or waiver of the two-year statute.

Even assuming that there is such a “standard military procedure,” plaintiff’s contention is without merit. The doctrines of waiver and estoppel are not applicable to the Government in this area. Claremont Aircraft, Inc. v. United States, 420 F.2d 896 (9th Cir. 1969). The Federal Tort Claims Act is a waiver of sovereign immunity. It creates a cause of action, and the Government consents to be sued’ on the cause of action created. Therefore, suits filed under the Act must be in exact compliance with the terms of congressional consent. Childers v. United States, 442 F.2d 1299 (5th Cir. 1971). As stated in Mann v. United States, 399 F.2d 672, 673 (9th Cir. 1968):

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Chambly v. Lindy
601 F. Supp. 959 (N.D. Indiana, 1985)
Hughes v. United States
534 F. Supp. 352 (N.D. Illinois, 1982)
Everett Erxleben v. United States
668 F.2d 268 (Seventh Circuit, 1981)
Stewart v. United States
503 F. Supp. 59 (N.D. Illinois, 1980)
Dunaville v. Carnago
485 F. Supp. 545 (S.D. Ohio, 1980)
Frey v. Woodard
481 F. Supp. 1152 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1979)
Lien v. Beehner
453 F. Supp. 604 (N.D. New York, 1978)
Sangeminio Ex Rel. Sangeminio v. Zuckerberg
454 F. Supp. 206 (E.D. New York, 1978)
Miller v. United States
458 F. Supp. 363 (D. Puerto Rico, 1978)
Reilly v. Peterson
435 F. Supp. 862 (S.D. New York, 1977)
Watkins v. United States
462 F. Supp. 980 (S.D. Georgia, 1977)
United Missouri Bank South v. United States
423 F. Supp. 571 (W.D. Missouri, 1976)
College v. United States
411 F. Supp. 738 (D. Maryland, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
389 F. Supp. 988, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/binn-v-united-states-wied-1975.