On June 24th, New York became the 6th state to adopt same sex marriage. For gay and lesbian couples on Long Island, such legislation will mean a world of change. Starting on July 26th, gays and lesbians in New York will be able to get married for the first time. Same sex couples will also obtain the same legal rights as in male-female marriages.
This will result in big changes for personal injury lawsuits–specifically in a personal injury case where a spouse recovers money for pain and suffering. Under previous law, a heterosexual spouse could make a seperate claim for loss of service. With the Marriage Equality Act in place, a gay or lesbian spouse could recover such a claim. Additonally, a lesbian spouse can now recover for dependent income if the injured spouse dies as a result of another’s negligence.
Therefore, the Marriage Equality Act will ultimately give gay and lesbian couples increased legal rights and increased protection under the law. At Goldstein and Bashner, we look forward to defending these long suppressed rights.
If you, your husband, or your wife, has sustained any injuries, please give our Long Island personal injury lawyers a call.
Goldstein and Bashner
