Wrongful death claim dismissed where no timely application for administr...

Wrongful death claim dismissed where no timely application for administration Chandler v. Kasper Defendants appealed orders denying their motion for summary judgment and allowing plaintiff to amend her complaint to correct her standing in plaintiff's wrongful death and Survivor's Act action. Decedent was hit by an automobile driven by one defendant and owned by other defendant in December 2016. Decedent died six days later. Plaintiff, decedent's daughter, filed a complaint as Administrator Ad Prosequendum just prior to the running of the statute of limitations in December 2018. The complaint alleged decedent died intestate and that plaintiff had been appointed as Administrator. The complaint asserted claims under the Survivor's Act and a wrongful death claim. Defendants argued plaintiff's claims were statutorily barred by the wrongful death and Survivors' Act statutes. Defendants filed for summary judgment in 2020 asserting plaintiff lacked standing to bring the Survivor's Act claim because letters of general administration had never been issued to her. Plaintiff filed a second amended complaint to reflect that she obtained letters of general administration in December 2020. Motion judge denied defendants' motion on the grounds of equity and noted defendants participated in arbitration and discovery for years without raising the issue. Court reversed and found the filling of the complaint prior to the establishment of the estate was a "nullity" and the Survivor's Act count had to be dismissed. https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/almI...