Opinion ID: 1090165
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in severing the case?

Text: ¶ 13. Adams argues there is no legal basis to sever, relying on Miss.Code Ann. Sect.11-7-13 and Long v. McKinney, 897 So.2d 160 (Miss.2004). The medical defendants, as well as Goldstrike, agree the case should not be severed pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. Sect. 11-7-13. All parties are correct. An action for wrongful death cannot be severed pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. Sect. 11-7-13 and this Court's holding in Long. Severance of this case is violative of Miss.Code Ann. Sect. 11-7-13 and would certainly not promote judicial efficiency. See M.R.C.P. 1. ¶ 14. Severance of this action is also inconsistent with Miss.Code Ann. Sect. 85-5-7 (Rev.1999), which addresses the limitation of joint and several liability for damages caused by two or more persons; contribution between joint tortfeasors; and determination of percentage of fault. Adams correctly asserts in his brief that separate trials would create, and almost certainly would result in, inconsistent holdings, including apportionment of fault. This analysis is applicable not only in wrongful death actions, but in other suits as well, because splitting the cause of action is prohibited by prior decisions of this Court and most certainly would lead to inconsistent verdicts by the separate juries. Miss.Code Ann. Sect.11-7-13 and 85-5-7 dispassionately eliminate this conundrum. See Alexander v. Elzie, 621 So.2d 909, 910 (Miss.1992) (Mississippi is among the majority of states which do not allow splitting a cause of action). ¶ 15. For these reasons, the trial court erred in severing this wrongful death case.