Ellen Devlin v. United States

Dec 12, 2003

OUTCOME: Summary Judgment vacated and case remanded.

Ellen Devlin was the Intended beneficiary of postal carrier's life insurance policy. She initiated an action under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) against U.S. government, alleging that Postal Serv ... ice employees negligently failed to comply with beneficiary designation filing requirements or were negligently trained in proper filing procedure. The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Peter C. Dorsey, J., granted the Postal Service's motion for summary judgment. On appeal, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, determined that plaintiff's claim against Postal Service was an “injury or loss of property” for which Postal Service waived sovereign immunity.