Tennessee § 20-5-103 - Causes surviving death of tort-feasor.

§ 20-5-103. Causes surviving death of tort-feasor.

In all cases where a person commits a tortious or wrongful act causing injury or death to another, or property damage, and the person committing the wrongful act dies before suit is instituted to recover damages, the death of that person shall not abate any cause of action that the plaintiff would have otherwise had, but the cause of action shall survive and may be prosecuted against the personal representative of the tort-feasor or wrongdoer. The common law rule abating such actions upon the death of the wrongdoer and before suit is commenced is abrogated. This section shall not apply to actions for wrongs affecting the character of the plaintiff. Acts 1935, ch. 104, § 1; mod. C. Supp. 1950, § 8243.1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 20-603. Cross-References. Abolition of common-law tort action of alienation of affections, § 36-3-701 . Substitution of parties, Tenn. R. Civ. P. 25. Textbooks. Pritchard on Wills and Administration of Estates (4th ed., Phillips and Robinson), §§ 691, 714, 740. Tennessee Jurisprudence, 1 Tenn. Juris., Abatement, Survival and Revival, §§ 26, 28. Law Reviews. Abatement and Revival — Actions Affecting the Character of the Plaintiff, 20 Tenn. L. Rev. 373. Torts — Taylor v. Beard: The Tennessee Supreme Court Declines Adoption of a Cause of Action for Loss of Parental Consortium in Personal Injury Cases, 34 U. Mem. L. Rev. 737 (2004). Cited: In re Estate of Thompson, 203 Tenn. 485, 314 S.W.2d 6, 1958 Tenn. LEXIS 326 (1958); Carpenter v. Johnson, 514 S.W.2d 868, 1974 Tenn. LEXIS 460 (Tenn. 1974); Owens v. State, 710 S.W.2d 518, 1986 Tenn. LEXIS 831 (Tenn. 1986); Estate of Russell v. Snow, 829 S.W.2d 136, 1992 Tenn. LEXIS 234 (Tenn. 1992); Timmins v. Lindsey, 310 S.W.3d 834, 2009 Tenn. App. LEXIS 731 (Tenn. Ct. App. Oct. 28, 2009).