South Dakota § 21-3A-10 - Survivorship of liability for installment payments--Wrongful death action--Qualifying survivor defined.
Full text of South Dakota South Dakota Codified Laws § 21-3A-10 — Survivorship of liability for installment payments--Wrongful death action--Qualifying survivor defined., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 21-3A-10. Survivorship of liability for installment payments--Wrongful death action--Qualifying survivor defined.
In all cases covered by this chapter in which future damages are payable in periodic installments, the liability for payment of any installments for medical or other costs of health care or noneconomic loss not yet due at the death of a person entitled to receive these benefits terminates upon the death of that person. The liability for payment of any other installments or portions thereof not yet due at the death of the person entitled to receive them likewise terminates except as provided herein.
If, in an action for wrongful death, a judgment for periodic installments provides payments to more than one person entitled to receive benefits for losses that do not terminate under this section and one or more but fewer than all of them die, the surviving beneficiaries succeed to the shares of the deceased beneficiaries. The surviving beneficiaries are entitled to shares proportionate to their shares in the periodic installments not yet paid, but they are not entitled to receive payments beyond the respective periods specified for them in the judgment.
If, in an action other than one for wrongful death, a judgment for periodic installments is entered and a person entitled to receive benefits for losses that do not terminate under this section under the judgment dies and is survived by one or more qualifying survivors, any periodic installments not yet due at the death shall be shared equitably by those survivors. Amounts due each survivor may not exceed the survivor's economic loss resulting from the death.
Qualifying survivor means a person who, had the death been caused under circumstances giving rise to a cause of action for wrongful death, would have qualified as a beneficiary at the time of the death according to the law that would be applied in an action for wrongful death by the jurisdiction under which the issue of liability was resolved in entering the judgment for periodic installments.
Source: SL 1986, ch 163, § 10.
Source: official South Dakota text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About South Dakota § 21-3A-10
What does South Dakota Codified Laws § 21-3A-10 cover?
Section 21-3A-10 ("Survivorship of liability for installment payments--Wrongful death action--Qualifying survivor defined.") is part of the South Dakota Codified Laws, the codified statutory law of South Dakota. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite South Dakota § 21-3A-10?
A common citation format is "South Dakota Codified Laws § 21-3A-10" (South Dakota). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of South Dakota law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the South Dakota official source linked on this page or consult a licensed South Dakota attorney.
How does South Dakota § 21-3A-10 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in South Dakota can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in South Dakota.