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Civil Law (Wrongs) Act 2002
16Damages in surviving cause of action
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16 Damages in surviving cause of action
(1) This section applies to a cause of action that survives under this part
for the benefit of a dead person’s estate.
(2) The damages recoverable do not include exemplary damages.
(3) If the act or omission that gave rise to the cause of action caused the
person’s death, the damages recoverable—
(a) must be calculated without regard to any loss or gain to the estate
resulting from the death; and
(b) do not include damages for—
(i) the person’s pain or suffering or for any bodily or mental
harm suffered by the person or for the loss of the person’s
expectation of life; or
(ii) the person’s loss of capacity to earn or loss of future
probable earnings; and
(c) do not include damages of the kind mentioned in section 100
(Damages for loss of capacity to perform domestic services).
Survival of actions on death Part 2.4
(4) However, damages mentioned in subsection (3) (b) (i) may be
recovered if—
(a) the cause of action related to a personal injury resulting from an
asbestos-related disease; and
(b) the person gave notice under section 51 (Notice of claim) before
the person’s death; and
(c) the person died either—
(i) as a result of the asbestos-related disease; or
(ii) the asbestos-related disease was a contributing factor to the
person’s death.
(5) The damages may include an amount to compensate for any
reasonable funeral expenses paid or payable by the estate.
(6) An amount to compensate for any reasonable funeral expenses may
be reduced to the extent (if any) that the court considers just and
equitable having regard to the age and health of the dead person
immediately before the act or omission that gave rise to the cause of
action.
(7) In deciding whether an expense is reasonable for subsection (5),
regard must be had to the religious and cultural circumstances of the
dead person and the members of the dead person’s family.
(8) In this section:
asbestos-related disease means any of the following diseases:
(a) asbestosis;
(b) asbestos induced carcinoma;
(c) asbestos-related pleural diseases;
(d) mesothelioma;
(e) a disease prescribed by regulation.
member, of a dead person’s family—see section 23.