Case Digest (G.R. No. L-21821-22) Core Legal Reasoning Model
Core Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
The case of Diosdado C. Ty v. Filipinas Compania de Seguros, G.R. Nos. L-21821-22, L-211824-27, was decided by the Supreme Court on May 31, 1966. Diosdado C. Ty, the plaintiff and appellant, filed six separate complaints against various insurance companies, including Filipinas Compania de Seguros, in the Court of First Instance of Manila for the recovery of ₱650.00 each, alleging that he was entitled to compensation due to the disability of his left hand. Ty was employed as a mechanic-operator at Broadway Cotton Factory in Caloocan City, earning a monthly salary of ₱185.00. He obtained Personal Accident Policies from several insurance companies in the latter part of 1953, with each policy effective for 12 months. On December 24, 1953, a fire occurred in the factory, during which Ty sustained injuries to his left hand while attempting to extinguish the flames. His injuries, which included multiple fractures and lacerations to his fingers, required hospitalization and treatment at Case Digest (G.R. No. L-21821-22) Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Expanded Legal Reasoning Model
Facts:
Plaintiff-appellant Diosdado C. Ty was employed as a mechanic-operator with a modest monthly salary at Broadway Cotton Factory in Caloocan City. In the latter part of 1953, he secured Personal Accident Policies from several insurance companies, including Filipinas Compania de Seguros and others, each effective for 12 months. On December 24, 1953, a fire broke out in the factory where he worked. While attempting to extinguish the blaze with a fire extinguisher, a heavy object fell on his left hand, causing multiple injuries. These injuries included various fractures (in his index, middle, fourth, and fifth fingers) and a lacerated wound, which the attending surgeon certified as resulting in temporary total disability of the left hand. Despite the injuries, there was no amputation of the hand. Relying on the "INDENMITY FOR TOTAL OR PARTIAL DISABILITY" clause contained in the insurance contracts, Ty sought compensation of P650.00, which the policies stipulated for the loss of a hand—defined as amputation through the bones of the wrist. However, the insurance companies denied his claim on the ground that his injuries did not amount to the loss defined by the policy.Issues:
The primary issue was whether the insured’s temporary total disability of the left hand constituted a "loss" under the policy, entitling him to indemnification. Specifically, the question was whether the policy’s provision covering partial disability—limited to the amputation (i.e., severance through the wrist bones) of a hand—could be interpreted to include cases where the hand was rendered temporarily or partially disabled but not amputated.Ruling:
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Ratio:
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Doctrine:
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