Waco Mut. Life & Accident Ass'n v. Alford

289 S.W. 93
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 18, 1926
DocketNo. 417. [fn*]
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 289 S.W. 93 (Waco Mut. Life & Accident Ass'n v. Alford) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Waco Mut. Life & Accident Ass'n v. Alford, 289 S.W. 93 (Tex. Ct. App. 1926).

Opinion

STANFORD, J.

Suit by N. J. Alford upon a life and accident insurance certificate issued by the Waco Mutual Life & Accident Association, alleging that defendants Joe I-I. Bradley, Mrs. Joe H. Bradley, Jesse Jones, and H. C. Coleman were partners doing business under the name of Waco Mutual Life & Accident Association, and that they as such I partners in such name were engaged in writ *94 ing life and accident insurance upon the assessment plan. It was also alleged in the alternative that the defendant Waco Mutual Life & Accident Association was an unincorporated local mutual aid insurance association, writing life and accident insurance upon the assessment plan, and that Mrs. Joe H. Bradley was its secretary and Joe H. Bradley, Jesse Jones, and H. 0. Coleman were officers of said company, and judgment was sought against,said company and said officers.

It was further alleged that on August 20, 1923, defendants issued to plaintiff a certificate of insurance, which provided they would pay plaintiff an assessment of $1 -for each member, not to exceed $1,000, if before attaining the age of 65 years he should become permanently and totally disabled from engaging in any work, or from conducting any business for compensation or profit; that they would pay an assessment of 50 cents from each - member, not to exceed $500, if plaintiff suffered the loss of an eye; whereby defendants became bound to pay to plaintiff said sum or sums upon the happening of the contingencies as above set out; that about the year 1902 plaintiff lost the sight of his left eye; that at the time said policy was issued to him he had only the sight of his right eye, all of which was well known to defendants; that on about the 1st day of September, 1923,-the sight of his right eye became so greatly impaired that he was compelled to refrain from any further -work or labor of any kind, and by reason thereof defendants became liable and bound to make levy and collect an assessment of $1 from each member in said order and pay same to him, not to exceed $1,000; that on or about November 1,, 1924, plaintiff lost completely the sight of his right eye, and thereby became permanently and totally blind and permanently and totally disabled from doing any kind of work, by reason of which defendants became liable to make levy and collect and pay to him 50 cents for each member to the amount of $500; that there were more than 1,000 members in said order, and that each member was able ana willing to pay such assessment; that defendant had on deposit one assessment more than sufficient to pay plaintiff’s claim, but that defendants diverted said money on hand to other parties and refused to make an assessment to pay plaintiff’s claim, by reason of which defendants became liable jointly and severally to plaintiff in the sum of $1,000, ór in the alternative for $500 for the loss of his right eye; that prior to the time plaintiff became 65 years of age he became totally and permanently disabled from pursuing any gainful occupation, by reason of which defendants became bound and obligated to pay him the sum of $1,000 in said policy provided for; that he made proof of loss, etc., as required by defendants, but that said defendants refused to pay, etc.

After general demurrer, special exceptions, failure to make proof of loss, etc., the defendants alleged that said certificate provided that liability for total disability ceased when the holder reached the age of 65 years, anu that plaintiff’s total disability, if any, occurred after he had reached the age of 65 years; also that when plaintiff made application for said certificate he stated in said application that he had no disease or injury from which he had not fully recovered, and that such statements were untrue, etc.; also that under the by-laws, which were a part of the insurance contract, no liability for total disability could accrue until after one year from the date of said certificate, and that plaintiff’s disability accrued before the expiration of a year from the date of the certificate, etc.

The case was submitted to a jury on special issues, which the jury answered as follows :

(1) That N. J. -Alford did become permanently and totally disabled from engaging in any gainful occupation or from performing any work or conducting any business for compensation or profit.
(2) That such total and permanent disability occurred to the plaintiff before he attained the age of 65 years.
(3) That such total and permanent disability occurred after the 20th day of August, 1923, the date upon which the policy introduced in evidence herein was issued.
(4) That the plaintiff, N. J. Alford, did suffer a total loss of his right eye.
(5) That such loss occurred after the 20th day of August, 1923, the date upon which the policy in this case was issued.
(6) That neither the constitution nor bylaws on August 20, 1923, the date upon which the policy introduced in evidence was issued, contained a provision as follows; “Provided, however, that no total disability claim shall be allowed until the claimant has been a subscriber hereto for a period of twelve months.’’
(7) That such total disability was caused by defects in plaintiff’s eyes which existed prior to August 20, 1923.
(8) That the loss of the right eye of plaintiff was caused by defects therein that existed prior to August 20, 1923.

On said findings and such other findings by him as the evidence authorized, the court entered judgment for appellee for $863.

Under appellants’. first, ninth, and tenth assignments they contend that appellee is not entitled to recover because In the application the applicant stated he was not suffering from any injury or infirmity from which he had not fully recovered, while the evidence shows that he was suffering from an injury or defect in his right eye at the time he filed his application. Appellants pleaded these alleged false statements m the application as a defense. Appellee, in reply, denied making any false statements in the applica *95 tion, and, further, that if the application contained any such statements said statements were put in the application without his knowledge or consent; that one Lewis, the agent of appellants, wrote the application, and no question was asked him as to whether or not he was suffering from any injury or infirmity from which he had not recovered; and that he had no knowledge that any answer to such a question was put in the application by appellants’ agent. This issue was made by the pleadings. The evidence is sufficient to show that Lewis, appellants’ agent, wrote the application; that Mrs. Alford at the time told the agent that Mr. Alford’s left eye was out. The agent Lewis could not help observing this xact. Mrs. Alford also testified that said agent did not ask Mr. Alford if he had any injury or disease from which he had not fully recovered, and that said agent signed Mr. Alford’s name to said application, and that appellee did not know that said application contained said alleged false statement. The court did not submit this issue to the jury, and neither side requested its submission, and no objection was made to the court’s charge for failure to submit said issue.

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Bluebook (online)
289 S.W. 93, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/waco-mut-life-accident-assn-v-alford-texapp-1926.