Opinion ID: 874018
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The district court properly denied Boise Tire's motion to reduce the damage award by the amount of Nayeli's social security survivor benefits.

Text: The district court refused to reduce Nayeli's damage award, analogizing social security survivor benefits to death benefits paid under a life insurance contract, which I.C. § 6-1606 expressly excludes from those collateral source payments which are deductible. We affirm the district court's holding, although on alternative grounds. Under the plain language of I.C. § 6-1606, a damages award must be reduced by the amount of collateral source payments [i]n any action for personal injury or property damage.... Nayeli is entitled to social security survivor benefits due to the wrongful death of her mother Marisela. Since the action that gave rise to the award upon which Boise Tire seeks to offset the survivor benefits is not one for personal injury or property damage, it is not governed by I.C. § 6-1606. We thus affirm the ruling of the district court in regard to Nayeli's social security survivor benefits.