Opinion ID: 652879
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Wrongful Death Action under Federal Maritime Law.

Text: 22 Moragne established a wrongful death action under the general maritime law. The court refrained in Moragne, however, from addressing any subsidiary issues relating to the new cause of action, such as the measure of damages and the schedule of beneficiaries, preferring that the final resolution of such questions await further sifting through the lower courts in future litigation. 398 U.S. at 408, 90 S.Ct. at 1792. These issues are presented for consideration in this case. 23 1. Right of a Nondependent Parent to Recover for the Wrongful Death of a Child. 24 Magistrate Judge Latimer held that the Wahlstroms were barred from any recovery because the general maritime law does not allow the nondependents of a decedent who is not a seaman to recover wrongful death damages for his death arising in state territorial waters. 800 F.Supp. at 1063 (citing Anderson, 692 F.Supp. at 770-73; Truehart, 672 F.Supp. at 936-38). This conclusion is overbroad, and is not supported by the cases invoked in its behalf. Anderson awarded damages for loss of support and services, and loss of society, only to the dependent survivors (widows and children) of two persons killed in a boating accident, and specifically disallowed such damages for the nondependent parents of the other two persons who were fatally injured in that accident. 692 F.Supp. at 769-73. Survival damages (for the decedents' pain and suffering prior to death) were awarded, however, to all of the plaintiffs, both dependents and nondependents. Id. at 773-74. Thus, Anderson limits the damages that may be awarded, but does not support the proposition that no damages may be awarded, to a nondependent parent. 25 Similarly, Truehart dismissed the claim for loss of society of the nondependent survivors (two parents and two siblings) of a person killed in a boating accident, but did not dismiss the complaint. 672 F.Supp. at 930, 938. Indeed, emphasizing the fact that the litigation was to continue as to the plaintiffs' other claims, the district court certified the loss of society ruling for immediate appellate review pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1292(b) (1988). 672 F.Supp. at 938; see also id. at 934 n. 4 (even if not entitled to loss-of-society damages, nondependent survivors may still maintain wrongful death actions for pecuniary damages such as funeral expenses and, perhaps, loss of services). Moreover, the plaintiffs subsequently achieved a $53,000 settlement of their remaining claims. See Truehart v. Blandon, 696 F.Supp. 210, 211 (E.D.La.1988), rev'd on other grounds, 884 F.2d 223 (5th Cir.1989); see also Cantore v. Blue Lagoon Water Sports, Inc., 799 F.Supp. 1151, 1152 (S.D.Fla.1992) (parents of decedent killed in fatal Jet Ski accident may recover medical and funeral expenses, but for loss of society only if actual financial dependency on decedent is proven, and for loss of services only if actual pecuniary damages proven for loss of valuable services; estate may recover for decedent's pain and suffering before death, but not for future economic loss). 26 It is therefore inappropriate to rule that the Wahlstroms may achieve no recovery for their son's wrongful death. The Supreme Court counselled in Higginbotham that: As Moragne itself implied, DOHSA should be the courts' primary guide as they refine the nonstatutory death remedy, both because of the interest in uniformity and because Congress' considered judgment has great force in its own right. 436 U.S. at 624, 98 S.Ct. at 2014 (footnote omitted). The pertinent provision of DOHSA, 46 U.S.C.app. Sec. 761, authorizes the personal representative of a decedent to sue for the exclusive benefit of the decedent's wife, husband, parent, child or dependent relative, see supra note 2, thus indicating that a parent need not be a dependent of the decedent to have standing to recover some damages. See First Nat'l Bank v. National Airlines, 288 F.2d 621, 624 (2d Cir.) (DOHSA requires a showing of dependency on the part of all claimants except a wife, husband, parent or child of the decedent), cert. denied, 368 U.S. 859, 82 S.Ct. 102, 7 L.Ed.2d 57 (1961). The companion provision, 46 U.S.C.app. Sec. 762, however, limits a DOHSA recovery to a fair and just compensation for the pecuniary loss sustained by the persons for whose benefit the suit is brought, see supra note 2, indicating that the focus of our analysis should be upon the elements of damage recoverable by nondependent parents such as the Wahlstroms. We proceed to that inquiry. 27 2. The Elements of Damages Recoverable by a Nondependent Parent for the Wrongful Death of a Child. 28 The predominant issue on this appeal is the availability of damages for loss of society to the nondependent parents of a decedent who perishes under circumstances giving rise to admiralty jurisdiction. We shall accordingly address our initial attention to this aspect of the Wahlstroms' claim, and then consider other elements of damages at least arguably encompassed by the Wahlstroms' demand for compensatory and punitive damages in their complaint. We begin this inquiry by reviewing the post-Moragne decisions of the Supreme Court in this area. 29 In its first subsequent visitation of the admiralty wrongful death action established in Moragne, the Supreme Court ruled in Sea-Land Services, Inc. v. Gaudet, 414 U.S. 573, 94 S.Ct. 806, 39 L.Ed.2d 9 (1974), that in the case of a longshoreman who died as a result of severe injuries incurred on a vessel in Louisiana navigable waters, the decedent's dependents may recover damages for their loss of support, services, and society, as well as funeral expenses. Id. at 584; see also id. at 591 (in addition to recovery for loss of support, services, and society, damages for funeral expenses may be awarded under the maritime wrongful-death remedy in circumstances where the decedent's dependents have either paid for the funeral or are liable for its payment). 30 The Court next ruled in Higginbotham that the Gaudet allowance of loss-of-society damages to a dependent of a decedent who perished in territorial waters could not be extended to the high seas in view of the DOHSA limitation of damages to pecuniary loss, see 436 U.S. at 622-26, 98 S.Ct. at 2013-15, and reiterated this ruling in Offshore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire, 477 U.S. 207, 216, 233, 106 S.Ct. 2485, 91 L.Ed.2d 174 (1986). Both Higginbotham and Tallentire, like Gaudet and Moragne, were suits by dependent widows of the decedents. 31 Miles v. Apex Marine Corp., 498 U.S. 19, 111 S.Ct. 317, 112 L.Ed.2d 275 (1990), addressed, however, the situation of a nondependent mother who sought loss-of-society damages for the death in territorial waters of her seaman son. The Fifth Circuit had held that in a general maritime wrongful death action nondependent parents may not recover for loss of society whether or not their deceased children were survived by spouse or child. Miles v. Melrose, 882 F.2d 976, 989 (5th Cir.1989), aff'd sub nom. Miles v. Apex Marine Corp., 498 U.S. 19, 111 S.Ct. 317, 112 L.Ed.2d 275 (1990). The Supreme Court affirmed on the differing ground that there is no recovery for loss of society in a general maritime action for the wrongful death of a Jones Act seaman, 498 U.S. at 33, 111 S.Ct. at 326, thus restor[ing] a uniform rule applicable to all actions for the wrongful death of a seaman, whether under DOHSA, the Jones Act, or general maritime law. Id. The Court also stated that: The holding of Gaudet applies only in territorial waters, and it applies only to longshoremen. Id. at 31, 111 S.Ct. at 325. 32 As Magistrate Judge Latimer noted, none of these cases support the recovery of loss-of-society damages by a nondependent beneficiary in a general maritime wrongful death action, and both DOHSA and the Jones Act have been construed by the Court to bar such damages where those statutes apply. See 800 F.Supp. at 1065. This does not settle the question presented by this appeal, however, because neither DOHSA nor the Jones Act is applicable, and no Supreme Court ruling bars the award of loss-of-society damage to the Wahlstroms. 33 On the other hand, a number of other federal courts have explicitly addressed the issue whether nondependent parents may recover loss-of-society damages for a death in territorial waters, and have almost unanimously responded in the negative. Both the Fifth Circuit, see Miles, 882 F.2d at 989, and Sixth Circuit, see Anderson, 894 F.2d at 812, have so ruled, and most of the pertinent district court decisions concur. See Cantore, 799 F.Supp. at 1155; Kline v. Maritrans CP, Inc., 791 F.Supp. 455, 461 (D.Del.1992) (Jones Act seaman); Rollins v. Peterson Builders, Inc., 761 F.Supp. 918, 929 (D.R.I.1990) (on reconsideration, reversing prior ruling in light of Miles v. Apex Marine Corp.); Anderson, 692 F.Supp. at 771-72; DFDS Seaways, 684 F.Supp. at 1164 (no recovery for nondependent parent of decedent survived by a spouse); Glod v. American President Lines, 547 F.Supp. 183, 186 (N.D.Cal.1982) (nondependent siblings). But see Thompson v. Offshore Co., 440 F.Supp. 752, 764-65 (S.D.Tex.1977); Palmer v. Ribax, Inc., 407 F.Supp. 974, 979 (M.D.Fla.1976); Hamilton v. Canal Barge Co., 395 F.Supp. 978, 985 (E.D.La.1975). Thompson and Hamilton can no longer be regarded as authoritative in light of the subsequent evolution of Fifth Circuit law. See Miles, 882 F.2d at 989 (no recovery by nondependent parents in general maritime wrongful death action); Sistrunk v. Circle Bar Drilling Co., 770 F.2d 455, 458 n. 2 (5th Cir.1985) (Hamilton undermined by Supreme Court ruling in Higginbotham), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1019, 106 S.Ct. 1205, 89 L.Ed.2d 318 (1986). 34 We agree with the overwhelming majority of the pertinent federal decisions that nondependent parents cannot recover damages for loss of society in a general maritime action. We recognize the argument that an essentially pecuniary standard such as dependency should not provide the dividing line on this issue, given the nature of loss-of-society damages. See Gaudet, 414 U.S. at 585, 94 S.Ct. at 815. (The term 'society' embraces a broad range of mutual benefits each family member receives from the others' continued existence, including love, affection, care, attention, companionship, comfort and protection.); Thompson, 440 F.Supp. at 765 (because a loss of society is not a financial loss, it would be inappropriate to conclusively presume that only those family members financially dependent on the decedent have suffered such a loss). Countervailing concerns nonetheless outweigh the force of this contention. 35 The primary considerations that we must consult in resolving this issue are the humane policies implicit in the judicially created cause of action [for maritime wrongful death] and ... the interest in the uniform administration of admiralty actions. Public Adm'r v. Angela Compania Naviera, S.A., 592 F.2d 58, 63 (2d Cir.), cert. dismissed, 443 U.S. 928, 100 S.Ct. 15, 61 L.Ed.2d 897 (1979). It would hardly promote the uniform administration of admiralty actions for this circuit to adopt a rule in conflict with almost every decided federal case on this issue. In addition, in view of the special regard accorded by admiralty to seamen, it would be anomalous to expand the class of beneficiaries of nonseamen who may recover for loss of society in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's denial of any such recovery to the beneficiaries of seamen. See Miles, 498 U.S. at 33, 111 S.Ct. at 326 (denying any recovery for loss of society to beneficiaries of seamen); see also Wahlstrom, 800 F.Supp. at 1066 (citing Miles, 498 U.S. at 36, 111 S.Ct. at 327, regarding special solicitude shown by admiralty for seamen and their families); Truehart, 672 F.Supp. at 927 (General maritime law is its most generous to seamen, the wards of admiralty.). 36 Finally, a ruling in favor of the Wahlstroms on this issue would effectively extend the rule of Gaudet to nondependent parents of persons who die in territorial waters. This would hardly be consonant with the Court's unanimous statement in Miles that the holding of Gaudet applies only in territorial waters, and only to longshoremen. 498 U.S. at 31, 111 S.Ct. at 325. See Miller v. American President Lines, 989 F.2d 1450, 1459 (6th Cir.1993) (Miles limited Gaudet to its facts, but Gaudet is not applicable to those facts in view of subsequent enactment of Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act; Gaudet thus condemned to a kind of legal limbo: limited to its facts, inapplicable on its facts, yet not overruled); Murray v. Anthony J. Bertucci Constr. Co., 958 F.2d 127, 130 (5th Cir.) (Miles limited Gaudet to its facts), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 113 S.Ct. 190, 121 L.Ed.2d 134 (1992). Even if the limitation of Gaudet in Miles is read, more favorably to Gaudet, as focused upon the distinction between longshoremen and seamen, we perceive no basis for an extension of Gaudet to allow recovery by nondependent parents under the general maritime law. Cf. Walker v. Braus, 995 F.2d 77, 82 (5th Cir.1993) (allowing widow of nonseaman deceased victim of accident in Louisiana territorial waters to recover for loss of consortium would directly contradict the policy of uniformity emphasized and relied on by the Court in Miles). 37 For all these reasons, we conclude that the Wahlstroms may not recover damages for loss of society in this case, and proceed to address the other elements of damages that will require consideration upon remand. 38 The Wahlstroms may recover damages for funeral expenses to the extent that they paid for their son's funeral or are liable for that payment. See Gaudet, 414 U.S. at 591 & nn. 27-28, 94 S.Ct. at 818 & nn. 27-28; Cantore, 799 F.Supp. at 1156; Neal, 707 F.Supp. at 868 & nn. 14-15; Truehart, 672 F.Supp. at 936. They also may recover for related medical expenses. Cantore, 799 F.Supp. at 1156. Damages for mental anguish may not be recovered. See Gaudet, 414 U.S. at 585 n. 17, 94 S.Ct. at 815 n. 17; Thompson, 440 F.Supp. at 765. Loss of support or services is compensable, but only to the extent that the Wahlstroms anticipated future pecuniary benefits from support or services to be rendered to them by their deceased son. See Gaudet, 414 U.S. at 584-85, 94 S.Ct. at 814; In re P & E Boat Rentals, Inc. (Fusselman v. Ennia Gen. Ins. Co.), 872 F.2d 642, 649 (5th Cir.1989); Cantore, 799 F.Supp. at 1155; Kline, 791 F.Supp. at 462-469; DFDS Seaways, 684 F.Supp. at 1164-65. 39