HEATH Ledger's three-year-old daughter Matilda has been officially named the sole benefactor of his life insurance policy after a legal battle.
After a 30-minute court hearing in Los Angeles, Matilda's custodian John Laviolette and lawyer William Shernoff emerged from Superior Court judge Luis Lavin's chambers wearing smiles.
“It is finalised and everybody is mutually happy,” Mr Laviolette told AAP.
Asked if the money would go to Matilda, Mr Shernoff replied “Yes. Everyone is happy”.
Ledger took out the life insurance policy seven months before his naked body was found on January 22, 2008, in a Manhattan loft apartment he was renting.
He named Matilda as the benefactor.
An autopsy by the New York Medical Examiner's Office found the Perth-born 28-year-old Oscar winner died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, including painkillers and sleeping pills.
Despite the ruling, Minnesota-based insurance company ReliaStar declined to pay the $US10 million until it held its own investigation into the actor's death, including whether he committed suicide.
ReliaStar planned to interview the masseuse who found Ledger's body and actress Mary-Kate Olsen, owner of the apartment and recipient of several phone calls from the masseuse soon after Ledger's body was found.
Matilda's legal team responded to the delay by threatening to sue ReliaStar for “tens of millions of dollars” in punitive damages for emotional distress inflicted on Ledger's loved ones.
Last month, Mr Shernoff and ReliaStar's lawyer Margaret Levy announced the parties had reached a settlement.
The public will likely never know the details of the settlement and how much Matilda will receive after Judge Lavin last month ordered the proceedings be held in private and the outcome sealed.
The judge said that while Matilda's father won a posthumous best supporting actor Oscar last month for The Dark Knight, Matilda was just three and should be protected.
“She is not a celebrity,” Judge Lavin told the court on February 23.
“She is a minor child.”
The payout could exceed the $US10 million as Shernoff had raised the issue of interest being paid from the delay.
“We are pleased with the settlement,” said Mr Shernoff, declining to discuss details of the case.
“The parties are happy that the result is to their mutual satisfaction.”
Ms Levy also said outside court ReliaStar was pleased with the outcome.
Matilda lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her mother and Ledger's former fiancee, actress Michelle Williams.
Source:http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
