Opinion ID: 1830450
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Hedonic Damages in a Wrongful Death Suit.

Text: ¶ 10. Dorrough argues that the trial court erred in allowing the jury to consider hedonic damages (loss of enjoyment of life) in this wrongful death suit. In the alternative, Dorrough argues that even if the hedonic damage instruction was proper, the Wilkeses failed to present evidence that Gwendolyn suffered a debilitating injury which persisted for a period of time before her death. ¶ 11. Clearly, this Court has allowed hedonic damages in personal injury cases. See Kansas City S. Ry. v. Johnson, 798 So.2d 374, 380-82 (Miss.2001); Thomas v. Hilburn, 654 So.2d 898, 903 (Miss.1995). The Court of Appeals addressed the issue of hedonic damages in K.M. Leasing, Inc. v. Butler, 749 So.2d 310, 320 (Miss.Ct.App. 1999), and held the following: We read Upchurch [2] narrowly to hold only that hedonic or loss of enjoyment of life damages are not allowable in a wrongful death action absent some evidence that the decedent suffered a debilitating injury which persisted for a period of time prior to the death and that in that case, evidence of a loss of enjoyment of life damages might be admissible. ¶ 12. In the case sub judice, Gwendolyn went to BCH for treatment by Dorrough on June 3, 1993, from 12:20 to 3:03 p.m. Gwendolyn went to the Medical Center in Columbus on June 4, 1993, at approximately 11:30 and was transferred to St. Francis Medical Center. While at St. Francis, Gwendolyn underwent surgery for her condition, but died around 8 p.m. After discharge from BCH, Gwendolyn was alive for approximately 29 hours. She was aware and conscious after the visit to BCH. Clearly, the testimony and medical reports show that Gwendolyn suffered from her condition and that she was conscious and aware of her loss of enjoyment of life. Accordingly, the evidence does support an award of hedonic damages. This issue is without merit.