Opinion ID: 484641
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prejudgment Losses

Text: 91 The purpose of a prejudgment interest award is to remedy the delay in compensating a plaintiff for a loss. To this end, CPLR Sec. 5001(b) provides that 92 [i]nterest shall be computed from the earliest ascertainable date the cause of action existed, except that interest upon damages incurred thereafter shall be computed from the date incurred. Where such damages were incurred at various times, interest shall be computed upon each item from the date it was incurred or upon all of the damages from a single reasonable intermediate date. 93 This section applies to lost earnings recovered in tort suits. See Loeb v. Teitelbaum, 112 Misc.2d 1039, 1041, 448 N.Y.S.2d 391, 393 (N.Y.Civ.Ct.1982) (lost earnings recovered in tort suit for false arrest and malicious prosecution). 94 Since Woodling's cause of action for wrongful death accrued upon Albert Woodling's death, and Woodling's claim for lost support is derived from Albert Woodling's lost earnings over the years, Sec. 5001(b) was applicable to the recovery on the claim for prejudgment lost support. Section 5001(b) was also applicable to the recovery on the claims for past loss of fatherly care and guidance and past loss of services since under EPTL Sec. 5-4.3 these are claims for pecuniary injuries. Such pecuniary injuries are in the nature of deprivations of property, see Estate of Gary, 79 Misc.2d 419, 420, 358 N.Y.S.2d 488, 490 (Surr.Ct. Nassau Co. 1974); N.Y. EPTL Sec. 5-4.3 Rohan's Practice Commentary, at 497 (McKinney 1981) (pecuniary injury is deprivation of pecuniary benefits that plaintiff had reasonable expectation of receiving), and CPLR Sec. 5001 applies to interest on claims for deprivation of property. See CPLR Sec. 5001(a); Mallis v. Bankers Trust Co., 717 F.2d 683, 694-95 (2d Cir.1983) (Sec. 5001 applies to tortious interference with tangible and intangible property rights). Accordingly, Sec. 5001(b) did not authorize the court to award prejudgment interest on the total amount of Woodling's prejudgment loss dating back to the date of Albert Woodling's death. 95 Section 5001(b) provides two methods for avoiding overcompensating the plaintiff when prejudgment losses have occurred over a period of time: interest may be computed from the various dates on which the losses occurred, or it may be computed on all prejudgment losses from a single reasonable intermediate date. CPLR Sec. 5001(b); see Esquire Radio & Electronics, Inc. v. Montgomery Ward & Co., 804 F.2d 787, 796 (2d Cir.1986). On remand, the district court should recalculate the prejudgment interest on the awards for past loss of fatherly care and guidance and past loss of services in a manner consistent with one of these methods. Following a new trial with respect to the claim for lost support, required in Part III.A. above, the interest on an award for lost past support should also be calculated in like manner. 96