In re in the Estate

Bruce Howard was an employee of CES Environmental Services, Inc. who died at work as a result of a tank explosion. Appellant Nelly Sosa asserted she was informally married to Howard and was appointed administrator of his estate. Sosa filed a claim for death benefits with the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) and later filed a petition in probate court asserting wrongful death and survival claims against CES and others. The DWC hearing officer determined Sosa was not informally married to Howard and therefore was not entitled to death benefits as his surviving spouse.

In the wrongful…