Prudence Life Insurance v. Hoppe

352 S.W.2d 244, 49 Tenn. App. 151, 1961 Tenn. App. LEXIS 101
CourtCourt of Appeals of Tennessee
DecidedJuly 28, 1961
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 352 S.W.2d 244 (Prudence Life Insurance v. Hoppe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Prudence Life Insurance v. Hoppe, 352 S.W.2d 244, 49 Tenn. App. 151, 1961 Tenn. App. LEXIS 101 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1961).

Opinion

BEJACH, J.

The sole question involved on this appeal is whether or not Missouri law, which was expressly pleaded by the defendant, entitles the defendant, the Prudence Life Insurance Company, to have the plaintiff’s suit against it in this cause dismissed. The cause was tried twice in the lower court, — the first time to a jury, at which trial, at the conclusion of plaintiff’s proof the trial judge granted a motion for directed verdict in favor of defendant, and dismissed the cause. A motion for new trial was made, however, by the plaintiff, — which motion was granted, and the cause tried again. At the second trial, after all of plaintiff’s proof had been introduced, defendant had rested, and renewed its motion for directed verdict, both sides waived the jury, and the cause was tried by the judge. Judgment was thereupon entered by the trial judge in favor of the plaintiff and against the defendant for the sum of $4,600 and all costs accrued; after which a motion for new trial was made by the defendant. This was overruled, and an appeal in error was perfected to this court. No bill of exceptions was filed after the first trial, but the evidence at the second trial, which it is conceded was substantially the same as at the first trial, was preserved by bill of exceptions and is before us on the present appeal. For convenience, the parties will be styled, as in the lower court, plaintiff and defendant.

Eight assignments of error have been filed in this court, which adequately cover all questions presented; and, as is stated above, the ultimate question to be decided by [153]*153this court is whether or not the Missouri law entitles the defendant, the insurance company, to a dismissal.

There is little or no dispute as to the material facts. On May 28, 1951, while living in St. Louis, Missouri, where he had resided for many years, plaintiff took out with defendant an insurance policy known as an “Income Protection Plan”. Same is policy No. TJ 350367, and on the first page of the same, the following appears:

“This policy is issued in accordance with the provisions of the stipulated premium law, Article IV, chapter 37, Revised Statutes of Missouri, 1939 [V.A.M.S. sec. 377.210 et seq.]”

Two pertinent provisions of' said policy appear under the heading “Sickness Benefits”, and are as follows:

“Part J. Confining Sickness Benefits for Life. If sickness confines the insured continuously within doors for one day or more, and requires regular visits therein by a legally qualified physician or surgeon, the company will pay, commencing with the first such visit, benefits at the rate of the regular monthly benefit so long as such confinement remains continuous, provided said sickness causes total disability and necessitates total loss of time.
“Part K. Non-Confining Sickness Benefits. If sickness does not confine the insured continuously within doors, the company will pay, commencing with the first treatment by a legally qualified physician or surgeon, benefits at the rate of the regular monthly benefit, but not exceeding three consecutive months; provided said sickness causes continu[154]*154ous total disability and necessitates total loss of time.”

Tbe sum of $200.00 is set out under the heading “Regular Monthly Benefits”.

On April 22, 1956, when plaintiff was approximately 60 years of age, he suffered a coronary thrombosis. Plaintiff was in a hospital in St. Louis twice, during which times the defendant paid hospital benefits provided for in the policy. Also, in between the times of plaintiff’s hospitalization, from May 25, 1956 to August 22, 1956, defendant paid monthly benefits of $200.00 per month under the non-confining sections of the policy. Between September 8, 1956 and December 8, 1956, defendant disallowed all benefits because plaintiff was not under the regular care of a physician. Thereafter, from December 8, 1956 to April 1, 1957, while plaintiff was again under the care of a physician, defendant made regular payments to plaintiff under the “Confining” provisions of his policy. The record shows that during this period, plaintiff went outside the house only once. Prom April 1, 1957, until July 1, 1957, payments were made by defendant to plaintiff under the “Non-confining” provisions of the policy. In June 1957, plaintiff moved from St. Louis, Missouri, to Memphis, Tennessee. Plaintiff claims that his move was suggested by his doctor, but we regard this as immaterial. The record shows, however, that the last time, prior to his move to Memphis, that plaintiff had seen his physician was in May 1957. The doctor testified that he did not know when plaintiff left St. Louis. "While in St. Louis plaintiff was treated by Dr. Arthur IT. Bindbeutel and by a Dr. Arnay. After [155]*155his move to Memphis, he was treated intermittently by Dr. Harry D. Bryan of Memphis, Tennessee.

The proof is undisputed that plaintiff had been outdoors at least five times, and it is clear from the testimony of both Dr. Bindbeutel and Dr. Bryan that they considered it beneficial for plaintiff to go outdoors from time to time.

The case turns entirely on whether or not, under decisions of Missouri courts, the fact that plaintiff has gone outdoors from time to time and has not been regularly attended by a physician, puts his claim under Part K of the policy, rather than under Part J of same. It is clear that plaintiff is totally disabled; and it is conceded that if the case were controlled by Tennessee decisions, plaintiff would be entitled to recover under the provision of Part J of the policy.

There is an annotation in 29 A.L.B. (2d) at page 1413 et seq., which collects decisions from various jurisdictions and shows both those adhering to a strict construction, and those following a more liberal trend. In this annotation, Missouri cases are shown on both sides of the question. It is earnestly insisted by counsel for plaintiff that, even under Missouri law, plaintiff is entitled to recover under the provisions of Part J.

In the case of Gordon’s Transports, Inc. v. Bailey, 41 Tenn.App. 365, 386, 294 S.W. (2d) 313, this court, on authority of East Tennessee, V. & G. Ry. Co. v. Lewis, 89 Tenn. 235, 14 S.W. 603, held that where the opposite party has had adequate notice under the provisions of section 24-607, T.C.A., that law of another state will be relied on, such party is entitled to rely on the law as [156]*156reflected in the decisions of snch state as well as the statute law thereof.

Counsel for plaintiff cite and rely on the following Missouri cases: Musser v. Great Northern Life Ins. Co. (1924), 218 Mo. App. 640, 266 S. W. 325; Kane v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. (1934), 228 Mo. App. 649, 73 S. W. (2d) 826; Conaway v. Commonwealth Cas. Co. (1931), 225 Mo. App. 421, 37 S. W. (2d) 493; and Miller v. Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Ass’n (1933), Mo. App., 56 S. W. (2d) 795. They place special emphasis on the case of Musser v. Great Northern Life Ins. Co., 218 Mo.App. 640, 266 S. W. 325, and claim that it is entitled to greater weight than the case of Lachterman v. Mutual Ben. Health & Acc. Ass’n (1935), Mo.App., 60 S. W. (2d) 646, relied on by counsel for defendant. On the other hand, counsel for defendant cite and rely on the cases of State ex rel. Commonwealth Cas. Co. v. Cox (1929), 322 Mo. 38, 14 S. W. (2d) 600; Lachterman v. Mutual Ben. Health & Acc. Ass’n (1933), Mo. App., 60 S. W. (2d) 646, and Mutual Ben. Health & Acc. Ass’n v. Cohen (1952) 5 Cir., 194 F.

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Bluebook (online)
352 S.W.2d 244, 49 Tenn. App. 151, 1961 Tenn. App. LEXIS 101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/prudence-life-insurance-v-hoppe-tennctapp-1961.