Opinion ID: 1790179
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Survival Generally

Text: Georgia Casualty argues that the bad faith claims are causes of action and, therefore, that they do not survive the death of Mr. White. This Court has established the distinction between a personal action, which will survive the death of the claimant, and a personal cause of action, which will not survive the death of the claimant. [T]here is a distinction between `actions' [now claims upon which an action has been filed] and `causes of action' [now claims upon which no action has been filed]. An `action' is a proceeding pending in court to determine the parties' rights and liabilities with respect to a legal wrong or cause of action. A `cause of action' is a legal wrong for which an `action' may be, but has not been, brought in court. McDowell v. Henderson Mining Co., 276 Ala. 202, 204, 160 So.2d 486, 488 (1963). Unfiled tort claims of the deceased do not survive his death. See Ala.Code 1975, § 6-5-462. Because the two bad faith claims were added after Mr. White's death, we must determine whether the bad faith claims were Mr. White's personal causes of action, and, if so, whether the filing of those claims relates back to earlier pleadings in order to escape the operation of the survival statute.