Opinion ID: 1060766
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: loss of spousal consortium

Text: In 1903, this Court held in Davidson Benedict Co. v. Severson, 109 Tenn. 572, 72 S.W. 967 (Tenn.1903), that consortium damages were not available under Tennessee's wrongful death statute. The plaintiff urges this Court to revisit and reverse the holding in Davidson based on the following assertions: (1) that the Davidson holding was contrary to the plain language of the wrongful death statute; (2) that permitting consortium damages in personal injury but not in wrongful death cases is illogical; (3) that the majority of jurisdictions now permit loss of consortium damages in wrongful death cases; and (4) that the doctrine of stare decisis should not commit this Court to the sanctification of ancient fallacy. Upon careful review, we agree with the plaintiff.