Court Opinion

ID: 9845366
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:20:05.058449+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:02.973129
License: Public Domain

SPENCE, J.
I dissent. Neither the first nor second count of plaintiff’s complaint alleges a cause of action for “damage to property,” as stated in the majority opinion, unless the word “property,” as used in section 574 of the Probate Code, *443is given the unwarranted meaning accorded to it in Hunt v. Authier, 28 Cal.2d 288 [169 P.2d 913, 171 A.L.R. 1379], and Moffat v. Smith, 33 Cal.2d 905 [206 P.2d 353]. Both counts relate only to damages which are alleged to have arisen out of personal injuries.
It is conceded in the majority opinion that “Prior to 1949 there was no provision under the law of this state for the survival of actions to recover for personal injuries.” The accident here occurred in 1947 and the alleged tort feasor, Emerald J. Steen, died prior to the commencement of this action in 1948. It is therefore clear that the views stated by the majority of this court in Hunt v. Authier, supra, and Moffat v. Smith, supra, constitute the only justification for holding that a cause of action is stated in either count of plaintiff’s complaint. I am of the opinion that the above-mentioned cases were incorrectly decided and that they should be overruled. My views were set forth at some length in the dissenting opinion in Sunt v. Authier, supra. It would serve no useful purpose to repeat them here or to discuss the effect of the 1949 amendment to section 574 of the Probate Code, which clarified the meaning of that section if any clarification was needed.
I would affirm the judgment.
Edmonds, J., and Schauer, J., concurred.