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<p class="MsoNormal">I have a client whose adult daughter, still living at home, was killed. No children or spouse.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have gone over the wrongful death and survival statutes and have questions after my analysis below:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Wrongful death. Parents of adult child do not appear to qualify in tier 2 (no financial dependence) and there are no tier 1 beneficiaries.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><![if !supportLists]><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><![endif]>Survival claim. She lived long enough to go to the hospital but died there. So there is a survival claim.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Question: There is $25,000 from tortfeasor insurer & $100,000 underinsured coverage to parents/deceased daughter. There are medical bills and one credit card creditor. Can I designate $10,000 - $25,000 to pay funeral, administrative
expenses and tell the creditors this is the amount of monies for claims AND disburse the rest to the parents outside of probate? If yes, do I need to have the release to the tortfeasor reflect my division? If no, what scenario best fits to allow the parents
some monies for the death of their adult daughter.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here is my understanding of the law and the proceeds from wrongful death v. survival benefits. I would love to hear if someone disagrees with my analysis
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Wrongful Death: RCW 4.20.010 & RCW 4.20.020 Cause of action for specific beneficiaries.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> The action is brought by the personal representative of the estate but this is merely for the sake of
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Procedural convenience. The cause of action vests in the statutory beneficiaries, not the estate
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> And the sums awarded cannot be attached by estate creditors.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> First Tier Beneficiaries Spouse, children, stepchildren. If none, then go to 2<sup>nd</sup> tier
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Second Tier Beneficiaries Parents & Siblings but only if residents of US AND can demonstrate threshold level of dependency
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> On the decedent. Losses include financial contributions the decedent would have made to the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Beneficiaries, loss of consortium. If the deceased child is under 18, then the parents don't need to
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Show financial dependence. The child wrongful death statute provides for medical and funeral expenses
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> And allows for destruction of parent-child relationship as well as loss of child consortium.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> If no statutory beneficiaries, cannot bring a wrongful death claim damages.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Adult child dies. Only claim parents have, if not financially dependent on adult child, is an Estate claim
= out <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Of pocket expenses for funeral, medical expenses incurred prior to death which were caused by negligence
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> And net accumulations to estate which are projected gross earnings of child over their lifetime offset
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> By cost of consumption.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Survival Claim: RCW 4.20.046 & RCW 4.20.060 Action is brought by personal representative of estate.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:3.5in;text-indent:.5in">Preserve the decedent's claims for Injury or death - allowing the estate administrator / PR to bring the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Claims which the decedent could have made had he/she lived. Any proceeds obtained are an estate asset
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> And can be attached by estate creditors.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> RCW 4.20.060 Special survival statute. This is for the continuation of claims which resulted in the death of the decedent.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> These actions are brought for harms done to the decedent's estate but vest not in the estate but to
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> The tier one and tier two beneficiaries. They cannot be attached by estate creditors. Claims include
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Medical and funeral expenses, loss of net earnings of the decedent that would have accumulated to the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Estate had the decedent lived. The estate can seek pre death fear, pain and suffering damages as well.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">Dalynne Singleton</span></b>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><img width="220" height="151" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D170CD.8493A450" alt="SingletonLawGD27aR04aP02ZL-Johnson4a_mdm"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">3215 NW Lowell Street, #161</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">Silverdale, WA 98383</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">Phone: 360-329-4079</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">Fax: 360-443-1259</span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">E-mail: <a href="mailto:dalynne@singletonlawgroup.net">
<span style="color:#660033">dalynne@singletonlawgroup.net</span></a></span> <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033">Web: <a href="http://www.singletonlawgroup.net/">
<span style="color:#660033">www.singletonlawgroup.net</span></a></span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:#660033"> </span></i></b>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Californian;color:#660033">LICENSED IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON</span></i>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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