SB320 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tammy Irons

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

Arthur Orr

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Wrongful death, federal agency or other entity that is immune from liability for punitive damages is liable for compensatory damages, Sec. 6-5-410 am'd.

Summary

SB320 lets federal government departments or agencies that cannot be punished with punitive damages be liable for compensatory damages in Alabama wrongful death actions.

What This Bill Does

The bill amends 6-5-410 to allow a federal department, agency, corporation, or instrumentality that is immune from punitive damages to be liable for compensatory damages awarded by a jury in a wrongful death lawsuit. The compensatory damages would be determined by the jury and distributed under the appropriate rules, not as debt of the deceased. It also includes timing and filing rules, with some parts applying only to actions filed after certain dates and requiring actions to be filed in the county where the wrongful act would have allowed suit.

Who It Affects

• Personal representatives and families pursuing wrongful death claims in Alabama, who could recover compensatory damages from federal entities immune from punitive damages.
• Federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities immune from punitive damages, who would become liable for compensatory damages awarded in these wrongful death actions.

Key Provisions

• Amendment to Section 6-5-410 to allow compensatory damages to be awarded against a federal department, agency, corporation, or instrumentality that is immune from punitive damages in wrongful death actions.
• Timing and applicability rules: the new compensatory-damages provision applies to actions filed after the act’s effective date, with related provisions about when other sections apply (actions after June 9, 2011), and filing in the proper county.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Civil Procedure