Bill v. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co.
Iowa Supreme Court
119 N.W.2d 768 (1963)
- Written by Sean Carroll, JD
Facts
Ernest and Norma Bill (the Bills) (plaintiffs) owned a life-insurance policy on the life of their son, LeRoy Bill. LeRoy’s body was found hanging in a barn. After LeRoy’s death, the insurer, Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company (Farm Bureau) (defendant) denied the Bills’ claim on the ground that LeRoy had committed suicide, which voided the policy. The Bills sued Farm Bureau to recover, asserting that LeRoy did not die by suicide. At trial, Farm Bureau sought to introduce testimony of the medical examiner, Dr. Willis Dankle. Dankle was prepared to testify that on the day LeRoy’s body was found, Dankle asked Ernest “if there were any doubt in his mind that his son committed suicide,” and Ernest responded by shaking his head from side to side. The trial court declined to permit the introduction of the evidence on the ground that, under the circumstances, it was unclear what exactly Ernest meant by the head shake. The jury returned a verdict for the Bills. Farm Bureau appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Thompson, J.)
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