Oswald, A.J. and Powdthavee, N. (2008) Death, happiness, and the calculation of compensatory damages. Journal of Legal Studies. S217-S251. ISSN 0047-2530
Abstract
This paper presents a study of the mental distress caused by bereavement. The greatest emotional losses are from the death of a spouse, the second greatest from the death of a child, and the third from the death of a parent. The paper explores how happiness regression equations might be used in tort cases to calculate compensatory damages for emotional harm and pain and suffering. We examine alternative well-being variables, discuss adaptation, consider the possibility that bereavement affects someone's marginal utility of income, and suggest a procedure for correcting for the endogeneity of income. Although the paper's contribution is methodological and further research is needed, some illustrative compensation amounts are discussed.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2008 University of Chicago Press. This is an author produced version of a paper published in the Journal of Legal Studies. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self archiving policy. |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Economics and Related Studies (York) |
Depositing User: | Repository Administrator York |
Date Deposited: | 06 Feb 2009 14:30 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2024 11:44 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1086/595674 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1086/595674 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:5504 |
Download
Filename: WRRO_author_version_front_page2.pdf
Description: WRRO_author_version_front_page2.pdf