Heath Ledger's Daughter, 3, Settles $10M Life Insurance Legal Battle
An insurance company that had refused to pay out on a $10 million life policy after actor Heath Ledger’s death from a drug overdose, contending that it might have been a suicide excluded from coverage by the policy terms, has now agreed to a confidential settlement.
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company will pay an undisclosed amount to the 3-year-old daughter of the acclaimed star of The Dark Knight, who has been nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for his role as the Joker in the Batman movie, reports the London Times. He won a posthumous Golden Globe award for his work in the movie earlier this month.
Although some speculated that Ledger’s death on Jan. 22, 2008 from taking a cocktail of pain and sleeping medication might have been intentional, a New York medical examiner ruled it an an accidental overdose.
Ledger was 28 years old when he died.
“Ledger’s lawyers are now seeking a closed hearing next month to establish a court guardian to represent the actor’s daughter,” reports the BBC.
A lawsuit filed last year in Los Angeles Superior Court had sought punitive damages and attorney fees concerning the life insurer’s refusal to pay on Ledger’s policy, contending that it was in bad faith, as discussed in an earlier ABAJournal.com post. The suit was later removed to federal court.
Ledger was an Australian and his estate is being probated there, in Perth.
