FOURTH D I VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, RA Y and M CM I LLI A N, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 1, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 48 8 . EVANS et al . v . CALDW ELL et al

.

B A R N E S , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Crai g Cal d w el l an d h i s p ro fes s i o n al p ract i ce, In t ern al M ed i ci n e As so ci at es o f

M i d d l e G eo rg i a, P. C. (co l lect i v el y “ Cal d wel l ”), a p p e a l t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

p erm i t t in g a su b s t i t u ti o n an d ad d i t i o n of p l a i n t i ffs i n th i s m ed i cal m al p ract i ce cas e

fo l l o w i n g th e d eat h s o f t h e n a m e d p l ai n t i ffs

. Cal d wel l co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

erred i n al l owi n g t he p l ai nt i ffs t o ad d o nl y t wo o f t h e fi v e s u rv i v i n g ch i l d ren o f t h e

d eceas ed p l ai n t i ffs

, arg ui ng t h at t h e wro ng fu l d eat h s t at u t e req u i res al l s u rv i v i n g

ch i l d ren m

u s t b e p art i es to t he s u i t in t h e ab sen c e o f a s u rv i v i n g s p o us e. Fo r t h e

reas on s t h at fo l l o w, we affi rm t h e t ri al co u rt

.

In 2 0 1 2

, Cl au d i a E v an s s u ed Cal d w el l fo r m ed i cal m al p rac t i c e

, al l eg i n g t h at

h e h ad n eg li g en t l y

fai l ed t o d i ag n o s e h er can cer. Cl au d i a’ s h us b an d

, Ed i s on Ev an s

,

a s s e rt ed a cl ai m fo r l o s s o f co ns o rt i u m

. Ed i s o n d i ed i n 2 0 1 3

, an d Cl au di a d i e d i n

2 0 1 4

, l eav i n g fi ve s urv i v i n g ch i l d ren

. Two o f t h o se ch i ld ren

– t h e o n es ap p o i n t ed asex ecu t o rs of t h ei r p aren t s’ es tat es

– fi l ed a m o t i o n t o s u bs t i t u t e part ies an d ad d

ad d it i o n al p art i es

. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed th e m o ti o n

, su b st it u t i n g t h e two ch i l d ren in

t h ei r cap aci t i es as co -ex ecu t o rs i n p l ace o f th e p aren t s a n d a d d i n g t h e t wo ch i l d ren

as ad di t i o n al p art i es fo r t h e p u rp o s e o f p u rs ui n g a wro n g fu l d eat h cl ai m fo r Cl au d i a’ s

l i fe. At Cal d w el l ’ s req u es t

, t h e co u rt cert i fi ed i t s o rd er fo r i m m ed i at e rev i ew, we

g ran t ed Cal d wel l ’ s ap p l i cat i o n fo r i n terl o cu t o ry ap p eal , an d t h is ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

Ci t i n g OCGA § 51 -4 -2

, w h i ch ad d res s es t h e p art i es en ti t led t o b ri n g wro n g fu l

d eat h act i o n s fo r t h e d eat h o f a s p o u s e o r paren t

, Cal d wel l arg ues o n ap peal t h at t h e

t ri al co u rt erred b y al l o wi n g fewer t han al l o f Cl au d i a Ev an s’ fi v e s u rv i v in g ch i l d ren

t o b e ad d ed as p lai n t i ffs

. Th e p l ai n t i ffs ar g u e t hat Cal d wel l l ack s s t an d in g t o m ak e

t h i s arg u m en t b ecau s e h e i s s u b ject t o o n l y o n e cau s e o f act i o n

, an d t h at

, in an y ev en t

,

Cal d w el l ’ s i n t erp ret at i o n o f t h e l aw i s wro ng

.

Th e p red eces s o r t o OCGA § 5 1 -4 -2 h as b een am en d ed s ev eral t i m es o v er t h e

y ears

, an d m o s t o f t h e cas e s c i ted b y b o t h Cal d wel l an d t h e p lai n t i ffs were d eci d ed

u n d er earl i er v ers i o n s o f t he l aw. In 1 9 3 9

, Co d e An n

. § 1 0 5-1 3 0 6 p ro vi d ed a ri g ht o f

act i on fo r wro n g fu l d eat h t o t h e s u rv i v ors o f a m arri ed wo m an :

Th e h u s b an d an d /o r ch i l d o r ch i ld ren m ay reco v er fro m t h e h o m i ci d e o f

t h e wi fe o r m ot h er, an d t ho s e su r vi vi n g at t h e t i me t h e a ct i o n i s b r o u g h t

2s h a l l s u e j o i nt ly a n d n o t s ep a r a t el y

, wi t h t h e ri g h t t o reco v er t h e fu l l

v al u e of t he l i fe of t h e deced en t

, as s h own by t h e ev i den ce, an d wi t h th e

ri gh t o f s u rv i v o rs h i p as to s ai d s u i t

, i f ei t h er s h al l di e p en di n g t he act i o n

.

Ga

. L. 19 3 9

, p

. 2 3 3

, § 1 (em p h as i s s u p p l i ed ). Th e Su prem e Co urt i n t erp ret ed t h i s

l an g u ag e as req ui ri ng t h at a l l s u rv iv i n g p art i es h ad t o j o i n i n th e wro n g fu l d eat h

act i on fo r a n

y s u rv i v i ng part y t o reco v er. See Ha p p y V a l ley Fa rms v. W

i ls o n

, 1 9 2 Ga.

8 3 0

, 8 3 5 (1 6 SE2 d 72 0 ) (1 9 4 1 ) (ex p l a i n i n g “ t h e n eces s i t y of al l j o i n i n g as

p l ai n t i ffs ”).

In 1 9 6 0 , t h e s tat ut e was am en d ed t o ad d t h e fo l l o wi n g l an g u ag e:

Pro v i d ed

, h o wev er, i f an y o n e o r m o re o f t h o se co m p ri s in g t h e h u s b an d

an d ch il dren

. . . sh al l d es i re t o b ri n g an act i o n s eek i n g t o reco v er fo r th e

t o r t i ou s h o m i ci d e o f s u ch m o t h er, h e o r t hey m ay fi l e s u ch act i o n an d

cau s e a co p y t h ereo f t o b e s erv ed p ers o n al l y up o n t h e rem ai n i n g

i n d i vi d u al s co m

pri si n g sai d h u s b an d an d ch i l d ren , . . . an d an y o f s u ch

p ers on s m ay in t erv en e i n s ai d cas e as an ad d i t i o n al p l ai n t iff at an y t i m e

b efo re fi n al j u d g m en t

. Aft er fi nal j u d gm en t, an y of s uch p ers o n s no t a

p art y p l ai n ti ff s hal l h av e n o fu rt h er r i g h t o f act i o n ag ai n s t t h e al l eg ed

t o rt feas o r; b u t an y o f s u ch p ers o n s n o t d ul y s erv ed as p ro v i d ed ab o ve

s h al l h av e a ri g h t a g a i n s t t h e p art ies p l ai n t i ff fo r h i s o r t h ei r

p ro p o rt i o nat e p art o f t h e reco v ery i n s ai d act i o n

.

3Co d e An n

. § 1 0 5 -3 0 6; (Ga. L

. 19 6 0

, p

. 9 68

, § 1 .) In t erp ret i ng th i s ad di t i o n al l an g u ag e,

we h el d :

Th i s l eg i s lat i o n ev i d en ces a cl ear i n ten t t h at l es s t h an al l of t h e p o ten t i al

p l ai n t i ffs m ay b ri n g an act i o n fo r t he fu l l v al u e o f t h e l i f e of th e

d eced en t

, an d al l p ot en t i al p l ai n t i ffs w h o are n o t s er v e d m ay b ri n g a

s u b s eq u en t a c t i on ag ai n s t t h e su cces s fu l p l ai n t i ffs fo r a p ro p o rt i o nat e

s h are o f an y

am o u n t reco v ered fro m

a t o rt feas o r.

Ad a m s v. W r i g ht

, 16 2 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 0

, 5 5 2 (2 ) (2 9 3 SE2 d 4 4 6 ) (1 9 8 2 ). W e fu rt h er h el d

t h at t h e w ro ng fu l d e a t h d efen dan t i n s u ch a cas e “ h as n o s t an d i n g t o o b ject t o an

act i on b y l es s th an al l p l ai n t i ffs s i n c e o n ly o n e act i o n can b e b ro u g ht ag ai n s t h i m .”

Id

. Th u s, i f t h e p res en t cas e h ad ari s en u n d er t h e 1 9 60 l aw, t h en t h e p l ai nt i ffs p l ai n l y

wo u l d b e c o rrect

– al l fi v e s u rv i v i n g ch i ld ren wo u l d n ot n eed t o b e m ad e p art i es

p l ai n t i ff, an d Cal d wel l wo ul d l ack st an d i n g t o o b ject t o t h e ad d i t i on o f fewer t h an al l

o f t h em

.

Bu t t h e l aw was am en d ed i n 1 9 8 5 t o su b s t an t i al l y it s p res en t fo rm

, wh i ch

p ro v id es :

(a) T h e s u rv iv i n g s p o u s e, o r i f t here i s n o s u rv i v in g s p o u s e, a ch i l d o r

ch i l d ren

. . . m ay reco v e r f o r t h e h o m i ci d e of t he s p o u s e o r p aren t th e

fu l l v al u e o f t h e l i fe o f t h e d eced en t , as s h o w n b y t h e ev id en ce.

4(b ) (1 ) If an act i o n fo r wro n g f u l d eat h i s b ro ug h t b y a s u rv i v i n g

s p o us e un d er s u b s ect i o n (a) o f th i s Co d e s ect i o n an d t h e

s u rv i v i n g s po u s e d i es p en di n g t h e act i o n

, t h e act i o n s h al l s u rv iv e

t o t h e ch i l d o r ch i l d ren o f t h e d eced en t

.

(2 ) If an act i o n fo r wro n g fu l d eat h i s b ro u gh t b y a ch i l d o r

ch i ld ren u n d er s u b s ect i o n (a) o f t hi s Co d e sect io n an d o n e o f th e

ch i ld ren d i es p en di n g t h e act i o n

, t h e act i o n s h al l s u rv iv e to th e

s u rv i v i n g ch i l d o r ch i l d ren

.

* * *

(d ) (1 ) An y a m o u n t reco v ered u n d er s u bs ect i o n (a) o f t hi s Co de

s ect i o n s h al l b e eq u al l y d i v i d ed

, s h are an d sh are al i ke, am o ng th e

s u rv i v i n g s po u s e an d t h e ch i l d ren p er cap i t a . . .

OCGA § 5 1 -4 -2

. See Ga. L

. 1 9 85

, p

. 1 2 5 3, § 1

. Th e cu rren t vers i o n o f t h e l aw, t h en

,

d o es n o t co n t ai n t h e l an gu ag e fro m t h e 19 6 0 am en d m en t s p eci fi cal l y p ro v i d i n g t h at

fewer t h an al l s u rv i vo rs m ay bri n g a w ro n g fu l d eat h act i on

. Cal d wel l rel i es u p o n t h i s

o m is s i o n fo r h i s cl ai m t h at t h e cu rren t l aw req u i res fu l l s u rv iv o r part i ci p at i on

. He al s o

arg u es t hat t h e h o l d i n g i n Ad a ms

, s up ra, t h at t h e d e f e nd an t l ack s st an d i n g to

ch al l en g e s u ch m at t ers , d o es n o t ap p l y i n l i g h t o f t he 1 9 8 5 s t at u t ory ch an g e.

Cal d wel l ’ s arg u m en t s l ack m eri t. Fi rs t

, al th o ug h t h e cu rren t l aw d o es n ot

ex p li ci t l y s ay t h at fu l l p art i ci p at i o n i s n o t req u i red

, th e l an g u ag e o f t h e s t a t u t e

s t ro n g l y i m

p l i es i t

. U n der OCGA § 5 1 -4 -2 (b ) (2 ), i f a ch i l d b ri n g s a w ro n g fu l d eat h

act i o n fo r a p aren t ’ s d eat h

, b u t t h e ch i l d l at er d i es

, t h e act i o n “ sh al l s u rv iv e t o t h e

5s u rv i v i n g ch i ld o r ch il d ren ”

— s u g g es t i ng t h at t h e “ s u rv i v i n g ch i l d o r ch il d ren ” was

n o t a p l ai n t i ff at t h e o u t s et

. Seco n d

, n o t h i n g i n t h e cu rren t l aw ch an ges t h e ru l e

an n ou n ced i n A d

a ms t h at a wro n g fu l d eat h d efen d an t “ h as n o s t an d i ng t o ob ject to

an act io n b y l es s t h an al l pl ai n t iffs s i n ce o n l y o n e act i o n can be b ro u g h t ag ai ns t h i m .”

1 6 2 G a

. Ap p. at 55 2 (2 ). Un d er OCGA § 5 1 -4 -2 (d ) (1 ), th e reco v ery fro m t h e

wro ng fu l d eat h act i o n is t o be di v i d ed eq ual l y am on g t he s u rv i vo rs

, s u g g es t i n g t h at

t h ere i s o n l y o n e reco v ery an d th erefo re o n l y o n e act i o n t o b e b ro u gh t

. Acco rd i n g l y

,

Ca l d w el l h as n o real st ak e i n t h e q u es ti o n o f wh et her al l th e ch i l dren jo i n i n t h e

act i on

, as t he n u m

b er o f pl ai n t i ffs d o es n o t affect t h e o u t co m e fo r h i m

. Un der Ad a ms

,

Cal d w el l l ack ed s t an d i n g t o o b ject t o t h e m o t io n t o ad d p l ai n ti ffs

. 1

Becau s e Cal dwel l l ack s s t an d i n g t o co m p l ai n t hat fewer t h a n al l o f Cl au d i a

Ev an s ’ s u rv i v i n g ch i ld ren are n am ed p l ai n t i ffs

, an d b ecau se t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err

i n g ran t i n g t h e p l ai n ti ffs ’ m o t io n t o ad d an d s u b s t i t u t e p art i es , we affi rm

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ra y a n d McMi l l i a n , JJ., co n cu r

.

1 Th e p l ai n ti ffs al s o arg u e t hat ev en if Cal d wel l ’ s i n t erp ret at i on o f t he cu rren t s t at u t e

i s co rrect

, t h e t ri al co u rt h ad eq u i t ab l e d is cret i o n to al l o w t h e p ro s e cu t i o n of a wro n g fu l

d eat h cl ai m b y p art i es o t h er t h an t h o s e d es i g n at ed b y t h e s t at u t e. See Bl a ckmo n v. Ten et

Hea l t hs ys t em S p a l d i ng

, 2 8 4 Ga. 3 6 9

, 3 7 0-3 7 1 (6 6 7 SE2 d 3 4 8 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (reco g ni zi n g co u rt ’ s

eq u i t ab l e au t h o ri t y to al l o w a rep res en t at i v e o f a m i n o r c h i l d t o b ri n g a wro n g fu l d eat h

act i o n w h e n a s u rv i v i ng sp o u se wi l l n o t ). In l i gh t o f o u r co n cl u s io n t h at Cal d wel l l ack s

s t an d i n g an d h as m i s read t he s t at u t e, we d o n ot reach t h i s arg u m en t.

6