In 2015, attorney Wayne Powell filed a lawsuit against the administrator of an estate who had been qualified to distribute the estate of her deceased brother-in-law. The brother-in-law had died as a commercial seaman and left only a surviving spouse as his beneficiary. The sister-in-law became the administrator of the estate, as the widow lived out of the U.S.  Pursuant to Virginia law, the spouse was the only person entitled to the proceeds of his estate, since he died without a will. 

After the accidental drowning, an insurance company issued a check for $300,000.00, which the administrator deposited into the estate account. The administrator failed to report the proceeds to the Commissioner of Accounts and never paid any of the proceeds to the widow.  When the widow learned about this, she consulted with Powell Law Group, and Mr. Powell was retained to represent her. 

Mr. Powell filed a lawsuit against the administrator for failing to disclose where and how the money had been spent. The court entered a summary judgment for $300,000.00 against the administrator for the entire amount of the insurance proceeds based on her failure to do what she should have done as administrator.  This is an example of a favorable result as the result of the administrator’s negligence committed against the widow.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an unlawful estate or trust administration process, attorney Wayne Powell can help you get justice. Contact Powell Law Group today for a free consultation.