United States v. Anders

88 F.2d 509, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3179
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedMarch 8, 1937
DocketNo. 8202
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 88 F.2d 509 (United States v. Anders) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Anders, 88 F.2d 509, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3179 (9th Cir. 1937).

Opinion

GARRECHT, Circuit Judge.

Henry Anders, the appellee, enlisted in the United States Army April 15, 1917, and saw service in France. Shortly after enlistment he applied for and was granted war risk insurance in the sum of $10,000, and paid premiums thereon to keep the insurance in force until May, 1919. He suffered a foot injury in October, 1918, at Survinne, France. An infection set in and he was hospitalized for approximately six weeks. He did not rejoin his company after release from the hospital, but shortly thereafter he was returned to the United States and received his honorable discharge from the Army at Missoula, Mont., February, 1919. He married in the same month, and lived on a ranch for the next two years. He left the ranch and worked at manual labor for about one year.. During this time he suffered from rheumatism of the joints and heart attacks, noticing the first of the latter three or four weeks after his discharge from the Army. In 1922 he quit work as a laborer and took up “vocational training” at Missoula, for about three years; then he went to a veterans’ hospital for two months. A short time thereafter he secured work as a janitor for the Veterans’ Bureau, in Helena, Mont., which lasted for a year and a half. While thus employed he was under the care of the Bureau doctors. He was again in a hospital for three or four weeks in 1927, suffering from rheumatism and, while there, he was notified that his position of janitor had been filled by another. After leaving the hospital he returned to Helena, where his rheumatism continued to “bother” him. During this time he also had heart attacks. Since 1927 he worked intermittently for a Mr. C. A. Rost, in the automobile top, body, and upholstering business.

* On April 6, 1927, he applied for reinstatement of the $10,000 term insurance which he had allowed to lapse in May, 1919. He stated in the application that his health was practically the same as when he allowed his insurance to lapse; that he was prevented from carrying on his usual occupation and he had consulted physicians since lapse of his policy; that the cause was “rheumatism and heart”; that he had made application for compensation and training allowance because of the same trouble; and that he wished to have the reinstatement become effective as of the first day in the month in which the requirements had been complied with.

The medical examiner’s report made on the same day found myocarditis; a first aortic accentuated murmur; Ch. bronchitis; . rheumatism; impaired ability to work because of rheumatism and heart; and that .Anders was a “fair risk.” The special report of heart and blood vessels stated that the first aortic accentuated murmur was transmitted by the great vessels; that it was organic; that it was probably caused by rheumatism; that there was an enlargement which was probably caused by myocarditis ; that it was severe; that the condition of the arteries was good; and, to the question, “If Bradycardia or tachycardia exists give cause,” the examiner answered, “Rheumatism.” ■

Anders’ application for reinstatement was accepted by the Bureau of War Risk Insurance with the notation: “Acceptable only under 333 Sec. 304 Apr 19 1927. Insurance Medical Section. A. J. McIntyre.” The reissued insurance became effective May 1, 1927. We set out section 304 (44 Stat. 799 [see 38 U.S.C.A. § 515]) in part: “In the event that all provisions of the rules and regulations other than the requirements as to the physical condition of the applicant for insurance have been complied with an application for reinstatement, in whole or in part, of lapsed or canceled yearly renewable term insurance * * * hereafter made may be approved if made within one year after the passage of this amendatory Act or within two years after the date of lapse or cancellation: Provided, That the applicant’s disability is the result of an injury or disease, or of an aggravation thereof, suffered or contracted in the active military or naval service during the World War: Provided further, That the applicant during his lifetime submits proof satisfactory to the director showing that he is not totally and permanently disabled.”

Anders collapsed in the street in Helena, Mont., on June 25, 1927, and was carried [511]*511into the office of Dr. Berg, who testified as a witness for the plaintiff.

On November 10, 1927, the appellee wrote the Veterans’ Bureau claiming to have been totally and permanently disabled from February 3, 1919, the date of his discharge from the service, and demanding payment of his insurance from that date, although he did not follow this claim through.

The next demand by Anders was for the benefits of his reinstated insurance, made on or about March 31, 1932. On July 13, 1932, the Director of the Veterans’ Administration wrote Anders refusing to grant the said • benefits and denying the claim.

Anders brought suit on the policy, the case was tried to a court and jury, verdict was for plaintiff, and defendant appeals. The jury found Anders to be totally and permanently disabled from June 25, 1927, and judgment was entered accordingly.

The Government called no witnesses, presented no evidence.

In his application for reinstatement the appellee answered, “Yes,” to the question: “Are you now permanently and totally disabled ?” On cross-examination, when questioned about this, he said that he did not write in the answer, but that he did sign the paper; that what appeared on the paper must have been true; that he may not have understood what he said; that, “If there is any fault there, I did not intend it”; that he did consider himself permanently and totally disabled; that it was his own conclusion in the matter at the time.

Dr. Berg testified that his examination of Anders made on June 25, 1927, disclosed auricular fibrillation, which was not present when he examined him on March 12, 1926; that he had no indications whatever of this trouble at the earlier date; that he had seen Anders three or four times since June 25, 1927, and that his condition was markedly worse on these latter occasions than at the time of his first examination in 1926; there has been a progressive myocardial involvement ; that he had advised rest and no work for Anders since June, 1927.

A Dr. Thompson testified that he first examined the plaintiff in June, 1929, twice in April, 1932, and once again in February, 1936; that he found chronic myocarditis, at first moderate, but more severe at each examination; that it was very severe; that he advised absolute rest and no work, indefinitely, for the balance of his life; that he was incurable.

Doctors Briscoe and Jameson, each of whom testified, examined the plaintiff in 1932, and found myocardial weakness or insufficiency. They also testified as having treated Anders during attacks of paroxysmal tachycardia. Dr. Briscoe went on to state that the prognosis of the case was unfavorable; that exertion or physical activity was liable to bring about an attack.

Dr. William Fortin, who examined the plaintiff on December 26, 1926, testified that he diagnosed the plaintiff’s trouble at that time as auricular fibrillation, severe; and myocarditis, chronic.

Dr. James M. Flyn, a witness for the plaintiff, testified that he had examined Anders first in 1925, and at the latest, a day or two before the trial. He stated that plaintiff was suffering from substantially the same ailments as were testified to by the other physicians, but, significantly, he said: “There has been no change in his condition since when I first examined him.”

Anders’ wife and his last employer, C. A.

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

Related

Byrd v. United States
106 F.2d 821 (Tenth Circuit, 1939)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
88 F.2d 509, 1937 U.S. App. LEXIS 3179, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-anders-ca9-1937.