Opinion ID: 2977675
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Consortium Damages

Text: Both parties agree that damages based on loss of consortium are permissible in this admiralty case because Tennessee’s wrongful death statute, Tenn. Code Ann. § 20- 5-113 (1994 & Supp. 2006), allows for recovery of the pecuniary value of the decedent’s life, which includes not only lost earning capacity but also the value of tangible household services lost and the value of intangible consortium losses sustained by a decedent’s spouse and children. See Jordan v. Baptist Three Rivers Hosp., 984 S.W.2d 593, 601-02 (Tenn. 1999).5 TVA does not contest the district court’s findings and awards regarding the value of Mr. Matheny’s lost future earnings and tangible household services but takes issue with the loss of consortium award. Because we are reversing and remanding with instructions to the district court to apply the limitation of liability under 46 U.S.C. § 30505, we leave it to the district court to apportion liability between the Lawrences and Becky Matheny.