Maximizing Wrongful Death Settlements in New York: Insights from a $21.5 Million Case
After losing a loved one, many families are left reeling, both emotionally and financially. Money can never fill the whole of a lost loved one, but it is crucial to take care of the families of people killed by the wrongful acts of others.
Wrongful death cases often produce eye-popping jury verdicts, and even the settlements, which are consistently less expensive than going to trial, are sizeable. At Dansker & Aspromonte, our attorneys have years of experience litigating these grave cases, and the results we have achieved for our clients speak for themselves.
Not only are these successes numerous, they are also recent. As discussed below, our attorneys recently settled a case for one of our clients for $21.5 million dollars. That money is going to be put into a structured annuity for the client’s family. While a precise number can never be guaranteed, our firm is here to provide a free consultation to you about your case.
Understanding Wrongful Death Settlements in New York
New York enacted a statute that allows wrongful death claims, and the state enshrined the right to bring a wrongful death claim in the constitution in 1984.[1] Prior to that statute, there was no common law right to bring a wrongful death action.[2] Even today, New York courts strictly construe the wrongful death statute and require anyone seeking to bring a wrongful death claim to comply with exacting statutory requirements.[3]
When filed, wrongful death claims are often high value cases in terms of their finances due to the gravity of the injuries involved. Generally, the value of a settlement in these cases is impacted by:
- Whether the decedent had children, how many children he or she had, and how old those children were;
- The financial situation of the decedent, with families losing more financially successful decedents having larger numbers due to a greater demonstrable pecuniary loss;
- The viability of the underlying personal injury claim that the deceased person would have had; and
- Whether the defendant would have any viable defenses against the claims being brought.
Ultimately, it takes a skilled lawyer with a deep understanding of the law, insurance companies, and the statutory framework of New York’s wrongful death statute to maximize the value of a wrongful death claim. Choosing a lawyer to represent you is one of the most important choices you will ever make, and you need to make sure to get the right lawyer for the right case.
If you have questions about your legal rights in the wake of the loss of a loved one, reach out to the attorneys at Dansker & Aspromonte by contacting them at our webpage, which is linked here, or by calling them at (516) 206-6723.
The $21.5 Million Case Study
The attorneys at Dansker & Aspromonte settled a wrongful death case for $21.5 million. In that case, the client was ejected from a sanitation truck when it made a turn, and that same truck then ran over his leg. The treating surgeon found his leg was bleeding internally, and the vascular surgeon who was to perform the necessary surgery did not arrive for more than two hours. Tragically, the client passed away from an abdominal compartment syndrome after his abdomen had filled with enough fluid to cause organ failure.
The client was survived by his wife and two daughters, who were six and one. To help his family, the attorneys at Dansker & Aspromonte brought this case in New York state court on theories of negligence against the sanitation truck and a malpractice claim against the doctors.
Their work resulted in a $21.5 million dollar settlement, a portion of which was placed in a structured annuity that will protect and pay interest on the principal. That annuity will provide lump sums of money to the family at various junctures in the client’s daughters’ lives such as college and milestone birthdays, and it will pay out to the family in the form of monthly checks for standard living expenses.
This case exemplifies the impact of the age of children on the settlement of wrongful death suits, as the $21.5 million dollar result reflects the loss suffered by the client’s wife and young daughters.
Elements of a New York Wrongful Death Lawsuit
While an ordinary negligence claim is based on common law, a wrongful death claim in New York is governed by state statute.[4] The right to bring a wrongful death claim is also protected by the New York State Constitution, which states “The right of action now existing to recover damages for injuries resulting in death, shall never be abrogated; and the amount recoverable shall not be subject to any statutory limitation.”[5]
A wrongful death claim, like any tort claim in New York, must be pled. The essential elements for pleading a wrongful death case under New York are:
- The defendant either (1) committed a wrongful act or (2) wrongfully failed to perform some action he was obligated to perform, and by that action or inaction, the defendant would have been liable to the decedent for the injury had the decent not died.
- The defendant’s wrongful act or omission must be proven to have caused the death of the decedent, who had been born alive.
- There must be a “distributee”—or someone who is entitled to collect the benefits of the wrongful death suit—who suffered a pecuniary loss due to the decedent’s death; and
- The person bringing the wrongful death suit must be the personal representative of the decedent’s estate.[6]
Further, it is the wrongful death claimant’s obligation to prove these elements as well as plead them.
Breach of Duty in Wrongful Death Cases
As previously stated, the defendant must breach a duty that would have given rise to an action by the decedent to recover for personal injuries in order to bring a wrongful death lawsuit.[7] This duty is broad and allows the use of the wrongful death statute in negligence claims, strict liability claims, intentional tort, and even some criminal claims.[8]
However, a wrongful death suit cannot be maintained if the deceased person upon whose death the wrongful death action is predicated does not have a viable cause of action against the defendant at the time of his or her death. Further, the wrongful death suit is subject to any defenses that the defendant would have had against the decedent had the suit been filed by the decedent himself, including statute of limitations defenses.[9]
Damages Are Limited to Distributees’ Pecuniary Loss in Wrongful Death Cases
Distributees in a wrongful death claim can recover compensatory damages for the pecuniary loss they suffered due to the decedent’s passing. This includes damages for the loss of services and loss of parental guidance.[10] The ultimate question in determining whether a distributee can recover is whether the distributee’s reasonable expectancy of future assistance or support by the decedent was frustrated by the decedent’s death.[11]
Importantly, New York does not allow for parties to recover for loss of society in wrongful death cases because the New York wrongful death statute “has steadfastly restricted recovery to ‘pecuniary injuries.’”[12] In plain English, this means that wrongful death actions can only recover for injuries that are able to be measured in money, and damages for items like grief, loss of society, affection, conjugal fellowship, and loss of consortium are unavailable to wrongful death plaintiffs.[13]
Practical Tips for Maximizing Wrongful Death Settlements
File a Survival Action: Personal Injury Claims Do Not Pass With the Decedent
New York Survival Action statute provides that no personal injury or property injury action will abate because the tortfeasor or the claimant passed away.[14] Effectively, this means that a person who is injured, files a lawsuit against a defendant, and then dies prior to the resolution of that lawsuit may have that lawsuit continued by his or her personal representative after he or she passes.[15] The rule applies similarly if the injured person could have filed an action prior to his death but did not do so. As long as the action is not time-barred, the decedent’s personal representative may still file that lawsuit against the original tortfeasor.[16]
Filing a survival action allows the decedent’s representatives to recover an item of damages unavailable to a wrongful death plaintiff: damages for the decedent’s pain and suffering.[17] As previously stated, damage awards for pain and suffering are non-pecuniary awards that are unavailable to wrongful death plaintiffs, but they are available in survival actions. New York courts allow survival action plaintiffs to recover damages for pain and suffering if they can prove that there was a period of time in which the decedent consciously experienced pain and suffering between sustaining the injury and dying.[18]
Wrongful death plaintiffs can significantly increase their damage awards and settlement values by maintaining or filing an available survival action alongside their wrongful death claim. By doing this, they force defendants to consider the potential value of pain and suffering damages.
Perform a Thorough Investigation of the Decedent’s Economic Life
Obviously, the value of a human life cannot be measured in dollars and cents. The New York wrongful death statute reflects that idea and is not intended to compensate distributees for the value of the deceased person’s life. The damages awarded under this statute compensate wrongful death plaintiffs for their pecuniary losses such as their personal loss of support or voluntary assistance, their decreased probable inheritance, and the services or parental guidance that the decedent would otherwise have provided.[19]
To that end, practitioners should endeavor to investigate the decedent’s finances, including his or her income, the assets he or she had at the time of passing, and how the decedent tended to save or spend his or her money. Further, the relationship of the decedent with the wrongful death beneficiaries may also be important, as they cannot recover damages for that of which they had no reasonable expectation of receiving.
Effective Representation is Critical
Wrongful death cases are among the most complex cases in New York’s legal system. The importance of retaining an experienced lawyer with knowledge of New York’s rules of civil procedure and a deep understanding of the ins-and-outs of these types of cases. If you or a loved one is in need of skilled legal representation then contact the attorneys at Dansker & Aspromonte either at our webpage, which is linked here, or by calling them at (516) 206-6723.
Challenges & Complexities in Wrongful Death Cases
Death of a Child or Non-Wage Earner
In some instances, the decedent will be a person who either did not earn an income or a child. Given that wrongful death claims intend to remedy pecuniary injuries to beneficiaries resulting from the decedent’s passing, this can create evidentiary issues in proving the value of that pecuniary loss.
The pecuniary loss is not immediately evident where a non-wage earner or child dies. In those cases, it’s important to remember that one calculation regarding pecuniary injuries is the increased expenditures required to continue the services he or she provided.[20] Further, if that person was a parent, there may be compensable losses available for loss of parental guidance.[21]
Below are two more specific ways these problems may present themselves and solutions accompanying them:
- Decedent Children: While the loss of a child is psychologically devastating, New York’s wrongful death statute still awards damages only for pecuniary losses. Prior to 1984, the wrongful death awards for the loss of minors were meager and sometimes limited to funeral expenses. However, Parilis v. Feinstein changed that by holding the “calculation of pecuniary loss is a matter resting squarely within the province of the jury.”[22] Under Parilis, proof of the child’s age, character, and physical condition as well as the circumstances of his distributees were sufficient to uphold the jury’s verdict.[23]
- Where the Decedent is a Homemaker: When one spouse works as a homemaker and does not earn an income, an issue of pecuniary loss is almost certain to arise. However, it is important to remember that expert testimony evidence is admissible regarding the replacement value of the homemaker’s services.[24]
The Two Levels of the Statute of Limitations in Wrongful Death Claims
For any wrongful death claimant, the statute of limitations requires them to bring their claim within two years of the date of the decedent’s death.[25] That two-year period is strictly enforced by New York courts, regardless of the theory of liability alleged. But there is also a second level statute of limitations consideration: the statute of limitations will bar a wrongful death claim where the decedent’s action was barred by the statute of limitations at his death.[26]
The statue of limitations pertaining to wrongful death claims—specifically that the two years begin to run two years from the date of death—can be tolled under some circumstances. First, the statute of limitations is tolled for infancy, meaning that it is tolled until such a time that a guardian is appointed for a distributee who is a child or that child reaches the age of majority.[27] Second, if the defendant fraudulently conceals his or her misconduct, thereby preventing the personal representative from commencing the wrongful death action within the two-year period, the statute will be tolled.[28] Finally, New York applies the “discovery rule” to the statute of limitations, meaning that a wrongful death claim arising from exposure to harmful or toxic substances is not barred until the exposure is discovered.[29]
Conclusion
As discussed above, New York’s wrongful death statute is an abrogation of the common law that courts strictly construe, and anyone seeking to bring a wrongful death claim will be required to jump through statutory hoops. The value of representation with substantial experience in litigating wrongful death claims cannot be overstated.
If you are in need of representation after losing a loved one due to another person’s wrongful conduct then reach out to the attorneys at Dansker & Aspromonte. Our attorneys have years of experience handling these cases. Their resume backed by results for our clients, and our attorneys are available to provide a free, confidential consultation to you. Reach out either on our webpage, which is linked here, or by calling them at (516) 206-6723.
Time is of the essence when looking to file a lawsuit. With our free consultations, there is no reason to delay making the call.
[1] N.Y. Constitution, Art. 1, § 16.
[2] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[3] Young v. Robertshaw Controls Co., 481 N.Y.S.2d 891 (1984).
[4] Action by Personal Representative for Wrongful Act, Neglect, or Default Causing Death of Decedent N.Y. EPTL § 5-4.1 (2024).
[5] N.Y. Const. Art. 1, § 16.
[6] Chamberlain v. City of White Plains, 986 F.Supp.2d 363 (S.D.N.Y. 2013) (“Finally, to state a claim for wrongful death, the decedent’s personal representative must plead: ‘(1) the death of a human being; (2) a wrongful act, neglect or default of the defendant that caused the decedent’s death; (3) the survival of distributees who suffered pecuniary loss by reason of the decedent’s death; and (4) the appointment of a personal representative of the decedent.’”).
[7] Id.
[8] New York Law of Torts § 15:8; Fisher v. Farrell, 183 A.D.2d 1010 (1992); Kollin v. Shaff, 79 Misc.2d 49 (1974); Sullivan v. Dunahm, 7 Am.Negl.Cas. 126 (N.Y. App. Ct. 1900).
[9] Phelps v. Greco, 177 A.D.2d 559 (1991).
[10] Abruzzo v. City of New York, 233 A.D.2d 278 (1996); Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[11] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[12] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[13] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[14] N.Y. EPTL § 11-3.2 (2024).
[15] Frometa v. Mar-Can Transportation Company, Inc., 148 N.Y.S.3d 613 (2021).
[16] Stolarski v. Family Services of Westchester, Inc., 973 N.Y.S.2d 725 (2013).
[17] Tenczar v. Milligan, 365 N.Y.S.2d 272 (1975).
[18] Tenczar v. Milligan, 365 N.Y.S.2d 272 (1975).
[19] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[20] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[21] Gonzalez v. New York City Housing Authority, 77 N.Y.2d 663 (1991).
[22] Parilis v. Feinstein, 49 N.Y.2d 984 (1980).
[23] Parilis v. Feinstein, 49 N.Y.2d 984 (1980).
[24] De Long v. Erie County, 60 N.Y.2d 296 (1983).
[25] Proano v. Gutman, 180 N.Y.S.3d 279 (2022)
[26] Kelliher v. New York Cent. & H.R.R. Co., 212 N.Y. 207 (1914).
[27] Hernandez v. New York City Health and Hospitals Corp., 78 N.Y.2d 687 (1991).
[28] McIvor v. DiBenedetto, 503 N.Y.S.2d 836 (1986).
[29] N.Y. C.P.L.R. 214-c.