Infertile Couple Can Sue for Wrongful Death

A couple whose frozen embryo was accidentally destroyed at a fertility clinic has the right to file a wrongful-death lawsuit, a judge has ruled in a case that some legal experts say could have implications in the debate over embryonic stem-cell research.

Cook County Judge Jeffrey Lawrence said Friday that “a pre-embryo is a ‘human being’ ... whether or not it is implanted in its mother’s womb.” He said the couple is as entitled to seek compensation as any parents whose child had been killed.