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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Thank you Eric for this great info! JK<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">John Keckemet<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Lirhus & Keckemet LLP<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">1200 5th Avenue, Suite 1550<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98101<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Phone: 206-728-5858<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Fax: 206-728-5863<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">email: <a href="mailto:keck@lk-legal.com">
keck@lk-legal.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Website: <a href="http://www.lk-legal.com">
www.lk-legal.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">_______________________<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">CONFIDENTIALITY: The information contained in this email message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: In compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, you are hereby notified that to the extent this written communication addresses tax matters, it is not intended and cannot be
used to avoid tax-related penalties under federal, state, or local law.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, August 02, 2019 10:08 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Wrongful death apportionment<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">I have done that kind of determination a few times, but I think most PI firms who handle wrongful death cases would know also.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">There is a distinction between recovery on the decedent's
<i>personal injury</i> claim, versus the <i>wrongful death</i> claim. Attached are some materials I have kept. Unfortunately I don't know who wrote the 2016 article; it wasn't me and I can't remember where I found it. Note that there are changes in the law
this year that are now effective as of July 28, 2019, but aren't reflected in the online RCWs yet. The Session Law is
<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov_biennium_2019-2D20_Pdf_Bills_Session-2520Laws_Senate_5163-2DS.SL.pdf&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=EMn3HhA0z1P8aEfFtEBEJguUml1FfcEnOhEX-nIMy9E&m=I0jE87UT6QuOnCsQ8xhLeY-hu_OQuRokwioEZPK8Dgg&s=VZOLdm5YxP2quL3w8o7SMsz10qKW-GF3lFoG4Td6vDk&e=">
here</a>. I've glanced at them and I don't think the amendments change the damages determinations; they seem to mainly change who the beneficiaries may be.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Damages in the PI claim are measured the same way as if the person had lived, but the recovery is divided between two recipients: the Estate gets any recovery for special damages (to pay medical bills, etc.);
and any general damages for decedent's pain and suffering goes to the same beneficiaries as are named in the wrongful death statute. If the money going to the Estate actually ends up going to heirs instead of just paying off debts, it would be paid as part
of the residue of the decedent's estate, or by intestacy if there is no will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The wrongful death claim is not measured by decedent's injuries; instead, the loss is measured by each beneficiary's personal loss of the relationship with the decedent: that beneficiary's loss of economic support
from the decedent, and that beneficiary's general damages for loss of love, care, and affection. If there is a lump sum settlement that doesn't differentiate, then the PR has to determine an allocation among all the statutory beneficiaries. Clearly, that is
a fraught determination; if there is a surviving spouse and three kids, the allocation between spouse and kids can be contentious. It gets worse if there are also stepchildren in the mix, or estranged kids, or a pending divorce that was terminated by the death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">In wrongful death allocation, Decedent's Will and/or the intestacy statutes do not control. But, as a practical matter I think there is often an instinct to award most of the recovery to the surviving spouse
and the remainder in equal shares to the kids, and the result is often similar to what intestacy might have provided. I have also successfully argued in one case where there was no spouse and three kids, two of whom were largely estranged, to have 80% go to
the favored child and 10% to each of the estranged children. (It helped that the decedent had a Will that named the one child as PR and gave her the entire estate except for two small cash gifts to the other children.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Any way it goes--unless it's all very agreeable among the beneficiaries and they will all sign something agreeing to the proposed allocation, the PR should petition the court to get it approved, and give plenty
of notice to the beneficiaries so they have time to get counsel or otherwise raise any objections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>John Keckemet<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 01, 2019 4:29 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Wrongful death apportionment<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am looking for someone to represent the adult children of a decedent. Decedent died as the result of an accident. The estate sued the driver and rec’d a large recovery. Probate counsel is proposing a 90/10 split between surviving spouse/stepmother
and the adult children. Does anyone have experience in determining and negotiating the apportionment? Any recommendations? Thanks.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John Keckemet<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lirhus & Keckemet LLP<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1200 5th Avenue, Suite 1550<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle WA 98101<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phone: 206-728-5858<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fax: 206-728-5863<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">email: <a href="mailto:keck@lk-legal.com">keck@lk-legal.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Website: <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.lk-2Dlegal.com&d=DwMFAg&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=EMn3HhA0z1P8aEfFtEBEJguUml1FfcEnOhEX-nIMy9E&m=I0jE87UT6QuOnCsQ8xhLeY-hu_OQuRokwioEZPK8Dgg&s=-jdmKhACV4qX4iycaoIeLxz3KJAMwJ7evhoLNCQARe4&e=">
www.lk-legal.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">_______________________<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONFIDENTIALITY: The information contained in this email message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If
you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE: In compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, you are hereby notified that to the extent this written communication addresses tax matters, it is not intended and cannot be used to avoid tax-related penalties
under federal, state, or local law.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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