Assembly Actions -
Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE |
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Jan 06, 2010 |
referred to judiciary |
Feb 11, 2009 |
referred to judiciary |
Senate Bill S2136
2009-2010 Legislative Session
Sponsored By
(D) Senate District
Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee
- Introduced
-
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
-
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
-
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- Delivered to Governor
- Signed By Governor
Actions
2009-S2136 (ACTIVE) - Details
- Current Committee:
- Senate Judiciary
- Law Section:
- Estates, Powers and Trusts Law
- Laws Affected:
- Amd §§5-4.3 & 5-4.4, EPT L
- Versions Introduced in 2011-2012 Legislative Session:
-
S1953
2009-S2136 (ACTIVE) - Summary
Provides that damages in wrongful death actions shall include recovery for emotional loss and mental anguish, compensation for expected pecuniary loss and services, care and affection, expenses for medical treatment and reasonable funeral expenses; further provides that court or jury shall specify the amount and for whose benefit damages are awarded.
2009-S2136 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S2136 TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the estates, powers and trusts law, in relation to payment of damages in wrongful death action PURPOSE : This bill specifies what constitutes damages in wrongful death actions; requires that awards specify both the amount and the person for whose benefit damages are awarded. JUSTIFICATION : Under current law, survivors of wrongful death victims are not compensated for non-pecuniary loss such as mental anguish, emotional loss and loss of affection. services, companionship, care or other services provided by the decedent. In cases involving the wrongful death of' an elderly citizen or a child, compensation is barely recognized in New York State. In 1847, New York became the first state to enact a wrongful death statute. As the country moved toward an industrial economy in the last century and society was confronted with the horrors of the unfettered exploitation of labor. attitudes toward the value of a human life changed. After all. in the early nineteenth century , it was cheaper for a factory owner to kill one's victim than to injure him. The New York law permitted damage suits, based on "pecuniary" losses
2009-S2136 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 2136 2009-2010 Regular Sessions I N S E N A T E February 11, 2009 ___________ Introduced by Sen. KRUGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary AN ACT to amend the estates, powers and trusts law, in relation to payment of damages in wrongful death action THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Paragraph (a) of section 5-4.3 of the estates, powers and trusts law, as amended by chapter 100 of the laws of 1982, is amended to read as follows: (a) The damages awarded to the plaintiff may be such sum as the jury or, where issues of fact are tried without a jury, the court or referee deems to be fair and just compensation for the [pecuniary] injuries resulting from the decedent's death to the persons for whose benefit the action is brought. In every such action, [in addition to any other lawful element of recoverable damages, the reasonable expenses of medical aid, nursing and attention incident to the injury causing death and the reasonable funeral expenses of the decedent paid by the distri- butees, or for the payment of which any distributee is responsible, shall also be proper elements of damage] DAMAGES SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) EMOTIONAL LOSS AND MENTAL ANGUISH WHICH MAY INCLUDE COMPANIONSHIP, GUIDANCE AND ADVICE OF THE DECEDENT; (2) COMPENSATION FOR (I) REASONABLY EXPECTED PECUNIARY LOSS AND (II) THE LOSS OF SERVICES, PROTECTION, AFFECTION, CARE AND ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE DECEDENT; (3) EXPENSES FOR THE CARE, TREATMENT AND HOSPITALIZATION OF THE DECE- DENT INCIDENT TO THE INJURY RESULTING IN DEATH; AND (4) REASONABLE FUNERAL EXPENSES. EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08807-01-9 S. 2136 2
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