Opinion ID: 2056811
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Applicable Wrongful Death Statute

Text: At common law, a person killed by another's tortious acts had no right to recover damages. The victim's dependents or other heirs therefore had no recognized cause of action, either. This inequity gave rise to wrongful death statutes, first in England in 1846, and soon thereafter in every United States jurisdiction. See Stuart M. Speiser et al., Recovery for Wrongful Death and Injury § 1.1, 1.8 (1992). Indiana's wrongful death statutes are found at Indiana Code § 34-23-1-1 (general wrongful death statute), § 34-23-1-2 (death of adult persons), and § 34-23-2-1 (injury or death of children). We first note that appellants cited the wrong version of the Child Wrongful Death Statute to the trial court and Court of Appeals. ( See Appellant's Br. at 7.) At the time of the accident in 1996, Indiana's Child Wrongful Death Statute was found at Indiana Code § 34-1-1-8. This version of the statute reflected major legislative revisions made in 1987 and 1989, including the addition of a definition of child. See P.L. 306-1987; P.L. 33-1989. [2] The Court of Appeals relied on a version of the statute that preceded the 1987 and 1989 amendments. [3] The applicable statute provides that [a]n action may be maintained under this section against the person whose wrongful act or omission caused the injury or death of a child. Ind.Code Ann. § 34-1-1-8(b) (West 1996). It defines child as follows: As used in this section, child means an unmarried individual without dependents who is: (1) less than twenty (20) years of age; or (2) less than twenty-three (23) years of age and is enrolled in an institution of higher education or in a vocational school or program. Id. at § 34-1-1-8(a). The statute allows parents to recover damages for the loss of the child's services, love, and companionship, as well as expenses such as hospital bills and funeral costs resulting from the child's death. See id. at § 34-1-1-8(e). The Bolins argue that the definition of child encompasses all unborn children. Wingert asserts that Indiana's Child Wrongful Death Statute does not cover unborn fetuses incapable of independent life. ( See Appellants' Br. at 5; Appellee's Br. at 6.)