Chicago v. McDonnell Douglas Corp.

HARLINGTON WOOD, Jr., Circuit Judge.

This appeal involves a single issue: whether an adult sibling may recover damages under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act for loss of an adult decedent’s society. We hold that Illinois law does not permit such recovery.

Twenty-one-year-old Debra Moruzi died when a DC-10 jet aircraft on which she was a passenger crashed shortly after takeoff from O’Hare International Airport on May 25, 1979. The present action, brought by Debra’s father Richard as administrator of her estate, was tried by a jury on September 18-20, 1984. The jury awarded damages of $250,000.00…