Section 5 Construction of Vexatious Penalty Statutes

LibraryDamages 2012

Because of the penal nature of the vexatious penalty statutes, the cases have consistently held that the statutes should be strictly construed. See:

Howard v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 164 S.W.2d 360, 366 (Mo. 1942)

Hammontree v. Cent. Mut. Ins. Co., 385 S.W.2d 661, 668 (Mo. App. S.D. 1965)

Katz Drug Co. v. Commercial Standard Ins. Co., 647 S.W.2d 831, 840 (Mo. App. W.D. 1983)

Smith ex rel. Stephan v. AF&L Ins. Co., 147 S.W.3d 767, 778 (Mo. App. E.D. 2004)

Because the statute is to be strictly construed, an...

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