Pantzalas

The petitioners seek a peremptory writ of mandate to compel the Superior Court of Los Angeles County to vacate its order denying petitioners’ motion to compel further answers to the written interrogatories numbered 1 and 2 and to issue a new order granting their request in the matter entitled Ruth Winsler Pantzalas, etc. v. Pacific Indemnity, Superior Court number WEC 14538.

Facts

Prior to Ms death, John M. Pantzalas was an employee of the Regents of the University of California. The Pacific Indemnity Company, the real party in interest, acting as the insurer entered into a master group accidental death and dismemberment insurance policy with the Regents of the University of California, as the employer, effective January 1, 1964, to cover the employees of the Regents as the insured. On December 1, 1965, Mr. Pantzalas became insured under the master group policy. He named as beneficiaries his wife, Ruth Winsler Pantzalas, and his daughter, Patricia Ann Pantzalas, the petitioners in this matter.

On July 15, 1967, Mr. Pantzalas, while still employed by the Regents, was killed in a mid-air collision between two airplanes. The master group insurance policy was still in effect on…