“IT’S ABOUT JUSTICE”
Wrongful Death Act
It is the public policy of the state to shift the losses resulting when wrongful
d e a t h o c c u r s f r o m t h e s u r v i v o r s o f t h e d e c e d e n t t o t h e w r o n g d o e r.
768.18 Definitions - As used in ss. 76816-768.26:
( 1 ) ‘ S u r v i v o r s ” m e a n s t h e d e c e d e n t ’s s p o u s e , c h i l d r e n , p a r e n t s , a n d , w h e n
partly or wholly dependent on the decedent for support or services, any blood
relatives and adoptive brothers and sisters. It includes the child born out of
w e d l o c k o f a m o t h e r, b u t n o t t h e c h i l d b o r n o u t o f w e d l o c k o f t h e f a t h e r u n l e s s
t h e f a t h e r h a s r e c o g n i z e d a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e c h i l d ’s s u p p o r t .
(2)
“Minor children” means children under 25 years of age, notwithstanding
t h e a g e o f m a j o r i t y,
(3)
* S u p p o r t ” i n c l u d e s c o n t r i b u t i o n s i n k i n d a s w e l l a s m o n e y.
(4) “Services” means tasks, usually of a household nature, regularly
performed by the decedent that will be a necessary expense to the survivors of the
d e c e d e n t . Th e s e s e r v i c e s m ay v a r y a c c o r d i n g t o t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e d e c e d e n t a n d
survivor and shall be determined under the particular facts of each case.
( 5 ) “ N e t a c c u m u l a t i o n s ” m e a n s t h e p a r t o f t h e d e c e d e n t ’s e x p e c t e d n e t
business or salary income, including pension benefits, that the decedent probably
w o u l d h av e r e t a i n e d a s s av i n g s a n d l e f t a s p a r t o f h e r o r h i s e s t a t e i f t h e d e c e d e n t
h a d l i v e d h e r o r h i s n o r m a l l i f e e x p e c t a n c y. “ N e t b u s i n e s s o r s a l a r y i n c o m e ” i s t h e
p a r t o f t h e d e c e d e n t ’s p r o b a b l e g r o s s i n c o m e a f t e r t a x e s , e x c l u d i n g i n c o m e f r o m
i n v e s t m e n t s c o n t i n u i n g b e y o n d d e a t h , t h a t r e m a i n s a f t e r d e d u c t i n g t h e d e c e d e n t ’s
personal expenses and support of survivors, excluding contributions in kind.
76819 Right of action - When the death of a person is caused by the wrongful act,
negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty of any person, including
t h o s e o c c u r r i n g o n n av i g a b l e w a t e r s , a n d t h e e v e n t w o u l d h av e e n t i t l e d t h e p e r s o n
injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued, the
p e r s o n o r w a t e r c r a f t t h a t w o u l d h av e b e e n l i a b l e i n d a m a g e s i f d e a t h h a d n o t e n s u e d
shall be liable for damages as specified in this act notwithstanding the death of
the person injured, although death was caused under circumstances constituting
a f e l o n y.
7 6 8 . 2 0 Pa r t i e s - Th e a c t i o n s h a l l b e b r o u g h t b y t h e d e c e d e n t ’s p e r s o n a l
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , w h o s h a l l r e c o v e r f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e d e c e d e n t ’s s u r v i v o r s a n d
estate all damages, as specified in this act, caused by the injury resulting in death.
When a personal injury to the decedent results in death, no action for the personal
injury shall survive, and any such action pendin at the time of death shall abate.