THE LEGAL VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—May I add a point to the recent letter to you from any friend Mr. Clothier which seems to give a further illustration of the strange position arising out of the present state of the law ? It appears that if a person loses his life in consequence of the tortious act of another, a comparatively distant relative who happens to be next of kin to the deceased person may, by taking out letters of administration to the latter (assuming him to have died intestate), recover as such administrator damages in respect of the deceased person's loss of expectation of life, and retain them for his own benefit, though his deceased relative may have been an entire stranger to him. These damages may be indefinitely large and the amount thereof appears to be uncontrolled by any principle, legal or otherwise.
Mr. Alfred Fellows in his letter suggests that the rule would not apply in a case where the death was instantaneous. But is there not always an interval, however small; between cause and effect which makes instantaneous death an impossi- bility ? An interval of even a few seconds would be enough to rest a cause of action in the deceased, of which his legal representative would be entitled to avail himself.—Yours
faithfully, R. I. SIMEY. r I Kings Bench Walk, Temple, E.C.
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