Opinion ID: 2190118
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Did the agreement bind Phyllis Skoglund in her individual capacity or in her capacity as a member of the class of wrongful death plaintiffs?

Text: In the alternative, Beverly Manor argues that pursuant to the mandate of section 537.080.2 that [o]nly one [wrongful death] action may be brought under this section against any one defendant for the death of any one person, Phyllis Skoglund and Dale Lawrence are in the class of persons who may bring a single wrongful death action. Beverly Manor asserts that because Skoglund signed the arbitration agreement on behalf of Dorothy Lawrence, and because Skoglund and Dale Lawrence could bring only one wrongful death suit, Dale Lawrence must be bound by Skoglund's agreement to arbitrate the claim. This reasoning requires this Court to find that by signing on behalf of her mother, Skoglund also was signing on her own behalf and on behalf of the wrongful death plaintiffs. Skoglund, however, signed pursuant to the power of attorney she had been given. See section 404.705. She did not sign the agreement in her individual capacity. Nor did she purport to sign as a representative of the class of potential wrongful death beneficiaries, even assuming she could have done so. But see, Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust, 339 U.S. 306, 70 S.Ct. 652, 94 L.Ed. 865 (1950). Skoglund's only signature to the agreement is in her capacity as her mother's agent. The arbitration agreement does not bind Skoglund and does not bind the class of wrongful death plaintiffs. See Nitro Distrib., Inc. v. Dunn, 194 S.W.3d 339, 345 (Mo. banc 2006) (To be bound as a third-party beneficiary, the terms of the contract must clearly express intent to benefit that party or an identifiable class of which the party is a member.). Neither Phyllis Skoglund nor Dale Lawrence, in their capacity as members of the class of wrongful death plaintiffs, is bound by the arbitration agreement. This Court affirms the judgment of the trial court. STITH, C.J., PRICE, TEITELMAN and RUSSELL, JJ., and DANIELS, Sp.J., concur. NORTON, Sp.J., concurs in separate opinion filed. TEITELMAN, J., concurs in opinion of NORTON, Sp.J., BRECKENRIDGE and FISCHER, JJ., not participating.