Legal Opinion
Robert Patch, Jennifer Patch, Minors, by Their Next Friend and Mother Terry Patch v. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Inc.
Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Decided March 27, 1984No. 83-1417PublishedCited by 14 opinions
1Per curiam
The sole issue presented by this case is whether unintentional death from a self-administered overdose of heroin constitutes loss of life by “accidental means” under an insurance policy. The decedent, Paul W. Phillips, was covered at the time of his death by the Federal Employees’ Group Insurance Program, administered by defendant Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. The policy in question provides for an additional $18,000 indemnity beyond the basic coverage in case of death “solely through violent, external and accidental means ... independently of all other causes,” and contains several…
2Cases cited12 opinions
- Beckham v. Travelers InsuranceSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1967
- Mansbacher v. Prudential Insurance Co. of AmericaNew York Court of Appeals · 1937
- Smith v. Combined Insurance Co. of AmericaSupreme Court of Virginia · 1961
- Zurich General Accident & Liability Ins. Co. of Zurich v. FlickingerCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 1929
- Gordon v. Metropolitan Life InsuranceCourt of Appeals of Maryland · 1970
7 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by14 opinions
- Resource Bankshares Corporation Resource Bank v. St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, American Casualty Company of Reading, Pennsylvania Erie Insurance Company Federal Insurance Corporation Great Northern Insurance Company, Amici Supporting Resource Bankshares Corporation Resource Bank v. St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, American Casualty Company of Reading, Pennsylvania Erie Insurance Company Federal Insurance Corporation Great Northern Insurance Company, Amici SupportingCourt of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · 2005
- MAMSI Life & Health Insurance v. CallawayCourt of Appeals of Maryland · 2003
- McLain v. Metropolitan Life InsuranceDistrict Court, D. New Jersey · 1993
- Weil v. Federal Kemper Life Assurance Co.California Supreme Court · 1994
- McClanahan v. Aetna Life InsuranceDistrict Court, W.D. Virginia · 1992
9 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.