Could there be POSITIVE effects of same-sex marriage?

As I understand it, if someone causes a physical and/or mental injury to your spouse such that you lose a significant aspect of your relationship (i.e. the spouse is paralyzed and can no longer have sex, or brain damage causes them to hallucinate that you are a Martian) you can seek damages in court.

That is, if you’re married. Civil unioned? Forget it.