*1 doubts, hold that we With some present case in the separation allowances rather properly benefits” “other
are
status,
“seniority,
within
includable
wage
increases
pay.” Unlike the
regular
they
Borges,
not become
did
Judge,
Haynsworth,
dissent-
Circuit
and,
earnings,
like
plaintiffs’
part of
ed.
they
Siaskiewiez,
were
rights in
vacation
actually
nor
done
pay for work
neither
seniority. On
perquisite of
traditional
seemingly
contrary,
constituted
benefit,
ad
devised
a miscellaneous
bargaining
collective
hoc after
intensive
transitory
purpose.
order
serve
conclusion
in this
confirmed
We are
Ap-
other Courts
decisions
two
de Nemours
peals.
v.
I. du Pont
Hire
E.
(6
Cir.
549-550
324 F.2d
&
Randolph,
1963);
Star,
Inc. v.
Seattle
1948).
(9
There
Reversed. C., Lee, Conway appel- T.
James S. lant. TODD, J. as Administrator Albert and Ben Scott Nathaniel L. Barnwell Baby Todd, Deceased, Estate (James Whaley, Charleston, B. S. C. Appellant, brief), Moore, Georgetown, C., on S. appellee. COMPA- CONSTRUCTION SANDIDGE Judge, SOBELOFF, Before Chief corporation, Appellee. NY, a BRYAN, Circuit HAYNSWORTH and No. Judges. Appeals Court of United States Judge: BRYAN, ALBERT Circuit V. Fourth Circuit. Argued April An child’s death as re unborn sult of a to her mother tortious Aug. Decided give does a cause of action under Carolina,1 act of held, if the child District although alive, was not born the child
viable at the time of The decision was made on motion of the defendant complaint tortfeasor to dismiss the administrator of the child’s estate. We reverse. 10-1951, South Carolina Code Laws Section
76
January 9,
Baby
being
1963
Todd was
On
whose death
could be
healthy
8
unborn child of
a live and
made. There the child
not
gestation.
passenger in
aWhile
months
the time of the
nor did it survive
day,
an
on that
mother
automobile
her
birth.
In the first feature the ease dif-
violently
serious
shaken
present.
fers from the
But in
Hall
Murphy,
the front
in
Carolina when
236 S.C.
113
S.E.2d
plunged
opening
(1960)
a
the car
into an
in
Court of South Car-
unguarded through
highway
recognized
right
left
olina
a
of action for the
neglect
defendant-appellee,
San-
death of a viable
resulting
a
from
didge
Company.
prenatal injury
As
im-
Construction
to its mother where after
January
result,
premature
mediate
child died on
a
birth the child lived for 4
through
10, 1963, and
only
was delivered dead
distinguishing
hours. The
feature
January
a
on
Caesarian section
that case from ours is the live by
These facts were confessed
the motion
Thus the South Carolina
ac-
Court has
to dismiss.
injured unborn,
corded an action to an
Appellant
and father of the
Al-
viable child
at birth.
It has not
Todd, qualified
go
J.
in
bert
South Carolina
been
say
asked to
further and
wheth-
Baby
right
as administrator of the
er
estate
vanished with lifeless birth.
brought
Judge
Todd and
this action under the
compelled
The District
felt
to that
reading
Act,
State
case,
follows:
conclusion
supra,
the West
However,
S.E.2d 88.
we do
believe
not
person
“Whenever
death of a
the State Court intended to raise the bar
act,
shall be
neglect
caused
point
to the
disallowing
a cause
default of
another and the
injured
a viable child
en ventre
act, neglect or default
is such as
when,
here,
mere
was the
would,
ensued,
if death had not
very reason the child did not survive.
injured
party
entitled
to main-
begin with,
To
damages
tain an action and recover
South Carolina has treated an unborn but
respect
thereof,
person
in
who
person
personality.
viable child as a
liable,
would have been
if
concept
Justice Oxner enunciated this
in
ensued,
shall
be liable
an action
Hall, supra,
236 S.C.
113 S.E.2d
notwithstanding
damages,
closely
logic,
in
knitted and notable
person injured, although
death of the
saying:
the death shall have been caused un-
difficulty
“We have no
in
der such circumstances as make the
cluding
having
that a foetus
killing
felony.”
reached
law
period
prenatal maturity
right
of an
administrator
capable
independent
where it is
sue for
apart
person
life
depends upon whether
could
the decedent
injured, may
if
such a child is
have sued
had he survived.
after birth maintain an action for
Price v. Richmond
Danville
&
Railroad
injuries.
such
A few courts have
33 S.C.
We
S.E.
gone further and held that such an
present question
think resolution of the
may
be maintained even if the
hinges
interpretation
statute,
on
infant had not reached
the state
supra,
respect
meaning
“a
a viable
foetus
the time of the in-
person”.
jury.
[Citations omitted.]
presented
is not
in-
and we
doctrine on
opinion
timate no
thereabout. Our
action of an unborn child has not been ex-
liability
decision is limited to
pressly expanded
comprehend
in-
natal
to a viable child born
McCoy,
stant
In
circumstances.
West v.
(Accent added.)
alive.”
(1958),
233 S.C.
Brothers.
ADDENDUM Judge.
HAYNSWORTH, Circuit opinion 14, 1964, September On Supreme was Court South MOORE, Appellant, J. Harold Administrator, Fowler, v. Wood- filed in ward, in ex- which it is 138 S.E.2d KAISHA, INC., NIPPON YUSEN and the plicitly that an action held MARU, STEAMSHIP SHIZUOKA viable, death of Respondents. That in maintained Carolina. No. 14848. placing principal opinion, reliance Maryland Court the recent cases Appeals United States Court of Appeals Appeals for the Court Third Circuit. earlier con- Third which we had Circuit Argued Dec. sidered, discloses awareness Feb. Decided opinions previously this filed us in However, as an authorita- case. it stands tive declaration of South Carolina which, diversity case, unquestion- in this ably proves controls the result here
my reliable Brothers more than dicting subsequent course decision Court of Carolina.
Though judgment in this ease
filed six weeks earlier some opinion Fowler, our mandate stayed upon information that identi- cal been submitted to Court of South Carolina *9 States, E.D.S.C., F. Tort Act was 17. Sox United under Claims States Supp. 465, is illustrative of such deserv under laws of South determinable severely least, ing Carolina, was, at claims. The was and there sub- injured accident, in an automobile sus stantial taining multiple pelvis, three months fractures carrying and the fetus she was The United States liability, later, however. a brain Three months ceded its substantive anticipated properly court delivered Caesarean section. was years that, she hold under South Carolina At trial was 2% expectan- was bad substantial life old. She cy, but, because of the brain she irrelevance. great, impairment sightless, speechless, capaci- was so without The child’s $260,000. ty recovery of limbs or even to hold she allowed a control her Liability up head. the United her
