The plaintiffs filed a case against Hermogenes Llemos for damages claiming that Llemos had falsely notified them of a court hearing. Before Llemos could answer the complaint, he died. The plaintiffs then amended their complaint to include Llemos' heirs as defendants. The court initially dismissed the case finding that the legal representative, not the heirs, should be the defendant. On appeal, the Supreme Court ruled that actions for damages due to tortious conduct survive the death of the defendant. Therefore, the plaintiffs could rightfully implead Llemos' heirs in the case to recover damages.
The plaintiffs filed a case against Hermogenes Llemos for damages claiming that Llemos had falsely notified them of a court hearing. Before Llemos could answer the complaint, he died. The plaintiffs then amended their complaint to include Llemos' heirs as defendants. The court initially dismissed the case finding that the legal representative, not the heirs, should be the defendant. On appeal, the Supreme Court ruled that actions for damages due to tortious conduct survive the death of the defendant. Therefore, the plaintiffs could rightfully implead Llemos' heirs in the case to recover damages.
The plaintiffs filed a case against Hermogenes Llemos for damages claiming that Llemos had falsely notified them of a court hearing. Before Llemos could answer the complaint, he died. The plaintiffs then amended their complaint to include Llemos' heirs as defendants. The court initially dismissed the case finding that the legal representative, not the heirs, should be the defendant. On appeal, the Supreme Court ruled that actions for damages due to tortious conduct survive the death of the defendant. Therefore, the plaintiffs could rightfully implead Llemos' heirs in the case to recover damages.
The plaintiffs filed a case against Hermogenes Llemos for damages claiming that Llemos had falsely notified them of a court hearing. Before Llemos could answer the complaint, he died. The plaintiffs then amended their complaint to include Llemos' heirs as defendants. The court initially dismissed the case finding that the legal representative, not the heirs, should be the defendant. On appeal, the Supreme Court ruled that actions for damages due to tortious conduct survive the death of the defendant. Therefore, the plaintiffs could rightfully implead Llemos' heirs in the case to recover damages.
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119.
*RULE 3, SECTIONS 18 TO 22: Parties to a Civil Action
MARIA G. AGUAS, FELIX GUARDINO and FRANCISCO SALINAS,
vs. HERMOGENES LLEMOS, deceased defendant substituted by his representatives, PERPETUA YERRO-LLEMOS, HERMENEGILDO LLEMOS, FELINO LLEMOS and AMADO LLEMOS G.R. No. L-18107 | August 30, 1962 | REYES, J.B.L., J.:
Petition: Ordinary Appeal
Dispositive: The case reached an amicable settlement of their difference. The case having thus become moot, it becomes unnecessary to resolve the questions raised therein. This appeal is, therefore, ordered dismissed, without special pronouncement as to costs.
Facts:
On 14 March 1960, Francisco Salinas and the spouses Felix Guardino and Maria Aguas jointly filed an action in the Court of First Instance of Catbalogan, Samar (Civil Case No. 4824), to recover damages from Hermogenes Llemos, averring that the latter had served them by registered mail with a copy of a petition for a writ of possession, with notice that the same would be submitted to the said court of Samar on February 23, 1960 at 8: 00 a.m.; that in view of the copy and notice served, plaintiffs proceeded to the court from their residence in Manila accompanied by their lawyers, only to discover that no such petition had been filed; and that defendant Llemos maliciously failed to appear in court, so that plaintiffs' expenditure and trouble turned out to be in vain, causing them mental anguish and undue embarrassment.
On 1 April 1960, before he could answer the complaint, the defendant died. Upon leave of court, plaintiffs amended their complaint to include the heirs of the deceased. On 21 July 1960, the heirs filed a motion to dismiss, and by order of 12 August 1960, the court below dismissed it, on the ground that the legal representative, and not the heirs, should have been made the party defendant; and that anyway the action being for recovery of money, testate or intestate proceedings should be initiated and the claim filed therein.
Motion for reconsideration having been denied.
Issue:
Whether the Plaintiff can rightfully implead the heirs of Llemos in an action to recover damages.
Ruling:
Yes. It is apparent that actions for damages caused by tortious conduct of a defendant (as in the case at bar) survive the death of the latter under rule 88, Section 1.
Even if in Rule 87, section 5, the actions that are abated by death are: (1) claims for funeral expenses and those for the last sickness of the decedent; (2) judgments for money; and (3) "all claims for money against the decedent, arising from contract express or implied". None of these includes that of the plaintiffs-appellants; for it is not enough that the claim against the deceased party be for money, but it must arise from "contract express or implied". It is however in Rule 88, section 1, enumerates actions that survive against a decedent's executors or administrators, and they are:
(1) actions to recover real and personal property from the estate; (2) actions to enforce a lien thereon; and (3) actions to recover damages for an injury to person or property. The present suit is one for damages under the last class, it having been held that "injury to property" is not limited to injuries to specific property, but extends to other wrongs by which personal estate is injured or diminished.
