Nelson v. Combined Insurance Company of America

In an action to recover benefits under a disability insurance policy, the policyholder was awarded $736 disability benefits and $5,000 punitive damages by jury verdict in the district court of Lewis and Clark county. From the judgment on that verdict, the order denying defendant judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and the order denying a new trial, defendant insurance company appeals.

Plaintiff is Martin Nelson, age 54, employed as a tire recapper at the Eck Tire Company in Helena, Montana where he had worked for about six years prior to the accident forming the basis of his disability…