Opinion ID: 699549
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Loss of Nurture and Guidance

Text: 16 Hollie challenges the district court's grant of KAL's motion to set aside the jury award to Swift's nieces and nephews for loss of nurture, care, and guidance. 17 Damages for the loss of nurture are intended to compensate for the loss of parental guidance and intellectual and moral training to a child. See Solomon v. Warren, 540 F.2d 777, 788 (5th Cir.1976), cert. dismissed, 434 U.S. 801, 98 S.Ct. 28, 54 L.Ed.2d 59 (1977); Moore-McCormack Lines v. Richardson, 295 F.2d 583, 593 n. 9a (2d Cir.1961), cert. denied, 368 U.S. 989, 82 S.Ct. 606, 7 L.Ed.2d 526 (1962); Red Star Towing & Transp. Co. v. The Ming Giant, 552 F.Supp. 367, 377 (S.D.N.Y.1982). 18 Although the children of a decedent may recover damages for loss of nurture, see Lockerbie II, 37 F.3d at 830, we have never determined whether a person who is not actually a biological or adoptive offspring may recover damages for loss of nurture. At least one state's highest court has allowed recovery for loss of nurture by a person other than the children of the deceased. Gonzalez v. New York City Hous. Auth., 77 N.Y.2d 663, 569 N.Y.S.2d 915, 918, 572 N.E.2d 598, 601 (1991) (permitting adult grandchildren of decedent to recover damages for loss of guidance). Significantly, however, in Gonzalez the deceased grandmother had raised her grandchildren because their father had died and their mother was mentally ill. Id. at 916, 572 N.E.2d at 599. 19 There is little reason for us to hold that, as a matter of general federal maritime law, damages are available for the loss of nurture only where the decedent is a biological or adoptive parent. If the decedent had fully undertaken a parent's role, both the nature and extent of damage would be similar, and a distinction based solely on birth or legal relationship would be arbitrary. Damages for loss of nurture assume the functional equivalent of the singular relationship of parent and child. The death of an adoring neighbor or schoolteacher will not support an award for loss of nurture. Conversely, a person raised by a foster parent or grandparent might be able to recover for loss of nurture, so long as the decedent had fulfilled a parental role. Cf., O'Rourke v. Eastern Air Lines, 730 F.2d 842, 859 (2d Cir.1984) (reducing award for loss of parental guidance and training because decedent was at sea ten months per year). 20 Swift's nieces and nephews undoubtedly received guidance from her, but Swift did not act as their parent. Swift lived in Detroit while her nieces and nephews lived in Rochester with their mother, Barbara Swift Hollie. Although Swift spoke regularly to the children about important topics such as education, visited them several times a year, and acted as a role model and mentor, this interaction never rose to the level of full parental guidance.