Opinion ID: 1126318
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the Durable Power of Attorney Constitutes an Assignment of a Cause of Action

Text: The trial court, in entering the summary judgment, held that one cannot assign a personal injury action to another or appoint an agent or attorney-in-fact to bring a personal injury lawsuit on his behalf. To the extent that statement deals with an assignment of the right to recover for a purely personal tort, it correctly expresses the general rule. See Lowe v. Fulford, 442 So.2d 29, 32 (Ala.1983) (`It is... well settled that, in the absence of statutory provision, rights of action for torts purely personal do not survive, and are not assignable.') (quoting Holt v. Stollenwerck, 174 Ala. 213, 215, 56 So. 912 (1911)). However, Roy Lee did not attempt to transfer or assign his rights in this action to Charles. Charles, acting as attorney-in-fact, brought this action for the benefit of Roy Lee, and not in his individual capacity to assert rights on his own behalf, as would be the case with an assignee.