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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Illinois Supreme Court Overturns Appellate Court's Decision Allowing Wrongful Death for Aborted Fetus

On April 3, 2008, in Williams v. Manchester, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the 1st District Appellate Court's decision in allowing a wrongful death claim brought by a mother who had an abortion after a car accident in which she suffered a broken pelvis (see my prior update on the Appellate Court's decision below). The Illinois Supreme Court has reversed that decision.

The Illinois Supreme Court held the plaintiff/mother could not bring a wrongful death claim for the death of her unborn child because the fetus was unharmed by the car accident; and therefore, would not have had a cause of action against the defendant at the time of the abortion. Thus, the parents cannot maintain a cause of action for wrongful death.

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