Opinion ID: 2425009
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Claims Brought by the Personal Representatives

Text: Next, the personal representatives of James McDonald's estate contend that the trial erred when it ruled in the second order of summary judgment that they did not have standing, under Ark.Code Ann. § 16-22-310, to bring a malpractice claim against Mr. Pettus. In contrast to the claims of the children, the personal representatives brought their tort and breach-of-contract claims on behalf of the decedent, James McDonald.
As with the claims brought by the children, we must first decide if the personal representatives have satisfied the privity requirement contained in section 16-22-310. In their brief, the appellees contend that the personal representatives brought their tort and breach-of-contract claims on behalf of the estate, and not on behalf of the decedent. Admittedly, the appellants's brief is somewhat unclear on this matter. However, during oral arguments the appellants clarified that the personal representatives were bringing the tort and breach-of-contract actions on behalf of the decedent, James McDonald, because the estate stood in the shoes of the decedent after his death. In other words, the estate became the decedent posthumously. In fact, during oral argument the appellees conceded that the estate would have every cause of action for negligence or breach of contract against Mr. Pettus that the decedent would have had. In this case, there is no question that there was direct privity of contract between Mr. Pettus and the decedent, James McDonald. Because the estate is merely standing in Mr. McDonald's shoes in order to bring the claim on his behalf, we hold that the privity requirement of XX-XX-XXX has been satisfied. Inasmuch as there is no privity problem related to the claims brought by the personal representatives, we must now decide whether the estate, acting on behalf of Mr. McDonald, can bring a malpractice claim, based in tort or upon a breach-of-contract, after the decedent's death.