Opinion ID: 1936480
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Wrongful Death/Medical Malpractice/Statute of Limitations

Text: The issue raised in this appeal is whether the statute of limitations begins to run on a wrongful death claim for damages arising from a personal injury resulting in death, allegedly caused by medical negligence, on the date of the alleged negligent act or on the date of death. This issue was first addressed in Milford Memorial Hospital, Inc. v. Elliott, Del.Supr., 210 A.2d 858 (1965). In Milford Memorial Hospital, Inc., this Court considered whether the former wrongful death statute, 10 Del.C. § 3704, gave a widower a right of action for damages for [medical] negligence causing the death of his wife where, at the time of her death, her right of action for the same negligence would have been barred by the applicable statute of limitations. Id. at 859. This Court found that the wrongful death action by the widower was derivative of the personal injury claim of his deceased wife. Id. at 860-61. Therefore, this Court concluded that the validity of a wrongful death action alleging medical malpractice was dependent upon the viability of what would have been the patient's claim for medical negligence, if the patient had survived. This Court stated: ... [T]he statutory right of action created by the Wrongful Death Act, while a separate and different right of action than that held by the deceased, nevertheless is held subject to the same infirmities as would have existed in a suit by the deceased if still alive. . . . . ... [T]he existence of a right of action in the plaintiff's wife at the time of her death was a condition precedent to the existence of a right of action in the plaintiff under the Death Act; and that the fulfillment of that condition became impossible by reason of the expiration, prior to her death, of the period of limitations governing the wife's claim ... Id. The same issue that had been decided in Milford Memorial Hospital, Inc. was presented to this Court once again after the enactment of 18 Del.C. § 6856. [2] In Reyes, we held: Plaintiff contends that even if the personal injury claim is time barred, his wrongful death claim is not. Plaintiff argues that the Statute of Limitations on a wrongful death claim does not begin to run until death occurs. Here, the plaintiff's wife died on March 17, 1983. The complaint was amended to include the wrongful death claim on May 9, 1983. Again, plaintiff's formidable obstacle is the clear language of the applicable Statute of Limitations. The determination of what even initiates the Statute of Limitations for wrongful death actions is essentially an issue of statutory construction. Section 6856 of Title 18, is specifically made applicable to claims for personal injury which results in death.  As explained earlier, we concluded in Dunn [ v. St. Francis, Del.Supr., 401 A.2d 77 (1979)] that the Statute of Limitations of Section 6856 begins to run on the date of the alleged wrongful act or omission. The clear language of the statute dictates that whether the action be one for personal injury or personal injury resulting in death, the Statute of Limitations begins to run on the date of the alleged wrongful act or omission. Reyes v. Kent General Hospital, Inc., 487 A.2d at 1145-46 (1984) (citation and footnote omitted) (emphasis added). Drake argues that Reyes is inapplicable in the present case because, although it considered the medical malpractice statute of limitations that had been enacted in 1976, it did not consider or address the revised wrongful death statute that had been enacted in 1982. [3] We find that Drake's argument is contradicted by the express language of the Reyes decision. The revised wrongful death statute was clearly before this Court in Reyes. The amended complaint in Reyes was filed on May 9, 1983, six months after the effective date of the revised wrongful death statute, 10 Del.C. § 3724. Moreover, in footnote eight of the Reyes opinion, this Court specifically recognized that Milford [Memorial] Hospital, [Inc.], is still good case law under the newly enacted wrongful death statute of 10 Del.C. § 3724. Reyes v. Kent General Hospital, Inc., 487 A.2d at 1146 n. 8. Drake's alternative argument is that Reyes was incorrectly decided and should be overruled. Drake contends that the statute of limitations in the revised wrongful death statute applies to all actions for damages resulting in death, including a medical malpractice wrongful death claim. In support of this contention, Drake argues when the General Assembly revised the wrongful death statute in 1982, it did not explicitly provide an exception for wrongful death claims resulting from alleged medical malpractice. Drake suggests that if the General Assembly had intended to have 18 Del.C. § 6856 applied to medical malpractice wrongful death claims, it would or should have amended the previously enacted medical malpractice statute to specifically include wrongful death claims within its provisions, when it revised the wrongful death statute. [4] Drake's statutory argument, to the extent that it implies a need for additional affirmative action by the General Assembly in 1982, disregards the fact that the malpractice statute of limitations, 18 Del.C. § 6856, which became effective on April 26, 1976, already expressly applied to claims against a health care provider for personal injuries, including  personal injury which results in death, arising out of malpractice.  18 Del.C. § 6856 (emphasis added). Moreover, the 1982 wrongful death statute itself almost precisely adopts the rationale of Milford Memorial Hospital, Inc., quoted above, recognizing the derivative nature of a wrongful death action based upon medical malpractice. Wrongful act means an act, neglect or default including a felonious act which would have entitled the party injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued. 10 Del.C. § 3721(4). Drake concedes that the decedent would have been barred from asserting any medical malpractice claim during his life. But, Drake argues that the purpose of the revised wrongful death statute was to create new causes of action. However, the statutory right of action created by the Delaware wrongful death statute has always been a separate and different right of action than that held by the deceased. Milford Memorial Hospital, Inc. v. Elliott, 210 A.2d at 860. Nevertheless, in this jurisdiction, it has been held subject to the same infirmaties as would have existed in a suit by the deceased if still alive. Id. The General Assembly's purpose in revising Delaware's wrongful death statute is expressly set forth in the Delaware Code. It was to permit the recovery of damages not limited to pecuniary losses by persons injured as the result of the death of another person. 10 Del.C. § 3725. There is no evidence in the revised wrongful death statute of any legislative intention to modify or eliminate in any way the applicability of the pre-existing medical malpractice statute of limitations to wrongful death actions, which alleged that theory as a basis for recovery.