- Petitioner
- Estelita S. Monzon
- Respondent
- Intermediate Appellate Court & Theo H. Davies & Co.
- Citation
- G.R. No. 72828
- Court
- Supreme Court
- Division
- Second Division
- Ponente
- Paras, J.
- Decided
- January 31, 1989
Summary
This case involves a wrongful death claim arising from a 1967 aircraft crash that killed lawyer Arturo Monzon and 5 others. The crash was caused by negligent maintenance of the aircraft's propeller by Theo H. Davies & Co. The deceased's family sued for damages. The Court of First Instance awarded substantial damages including P5.69 million for loss of earning capacity computed using the established formula under Article 2206 of the New Civil Code, plus moral and exemplary damages. The Intermediate Appellate Court initially affirmed but later drastically reduced the awards. The Supreme Court reinstated the original amounts, emphasizing that the established formula for computing loss of earning capacity must be followed, and that the substantial awards were justified by the defendant's wanton negligence and the deceased's circumstances as a successful lawyer with a young family. The case establishes important precedent on damage computation in wrongful death cases.