Basham v. Terry, Administratrix

On May 13, 1956, an automobile operated by Joseph C. Basham in which his father-in-law, John M. Terry, was a guest passenger, collided in the city of Roanoke, Virginia, with a parked car. Injuries were inflicted upon Terry from which he died fifteen hours later. Lorena Terry, a daughter of decedent, qualified as administratrix of his estate, and in an action brought against Basham under §§ 8-633 and 8-634, Code 1950, she recovered a verdict for $25,000.

No apportionment of damages was made by the jury among the statutory beneficiaries, i.e., the widow and five children. With the approval of…