Thomas v. Iowa National Mutual Insurance

The issue on this appeal concerns sec. 895.035(1), Stats. — the parental liability statute. The statute allows recovery for personal injury and property damages directly attributable to any willful, malicious or wanton act of the child. Recovery is limited to $1,000 plus costs and disbursements. The exact wording of the statute allows for "costs and disbursements directly attributable to any wilful, malicious or wanton act of the child." The question here is whether this phrase permits a more expansive definition of the term "disbursements" so as to include medical and hospital bills…