Harris v. Sherman

Plaintiff Shannon Harris appeals the Lamoille Superior Court’s dismissal of her loss of consortium claim premised on personal injuries sustained by her husband John Harris. The court granted summary judgment for defendants and dismissed the claim because, at the time of the accident, Shannon and John were engaged to be married, but not yet legally wed. Plaintiff argues on appeal that 12 VS.A. § 5431, which provides that “[a] loss of consortium [claim] may be brought by either spouse” affords relief not only to persons formally married at the time of injury, but also to persons engaged to be…