Most wrongful death claims typically result from a car accident, workplace injury, medical malpractice, or other forms of negligence.
Accidents are inevitable, and we can often forget that they can prove fatal. But, when an accident ends in someone’s death, we can’t help but be shocked at how much our lives are changed. If your family has suffered this tragedy and you’d like to find justice for them, you need to know the right path to take.
While you’re grieving, it can benefit you to know what damages you could try to recover in a wrongful death claim. To learn more, keep reading this article.
Economic Damages
This is when a death is caused by the negligent, reckless, or intentional actions of another. The deceased’s surviving family members may be able to recover economic damages as part of a wrongful death claim. These damages will compensate the survivors for the financial losses they have incurred as a result of the death.
This can include things like funeral and burial expenses, lost income and benefits, and the loss of household services. A wrongful death attorney can help you if your loved one has died due to the negligence of another.
If you believe that your loved one’s death was someone else’s careless or intentional actions. You may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
An experienced attorney can evaluate your case and help you determine whether you have a claim. To learn more about when to hire a wrongful death attorney, click to read this article and be guided.
Non-Economic Damages
Noneconomic damages are difficult to quantify. They are based on the intangible losses associated with death. This includes the loss of love, companionship, and emotional support.
The pain and suffering of the surviving family members are also included in non-economic damages. These damages are more difficult to calculate. They are often much higher than economic damages.
Punitive Damage
Punitive damages may be available as a wrongful death claim in some circumstances. To collect punitive damages, the deceased’s surviving family must prove that the death was caused by someone else’s intentional or willful misconduct.
If the court finds that the death was caused by such misconduct, it may award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter others from similar conduct in the future. While punitive damages cannot bring back a lost loved one, they can help the family obtain justice and closure.
Mental Anguish Damage
The survivors of a deceased person may be able to recover damages for mental anguish in a wrongful death claim. This type of damage will compensate the survivors for the emotional pain and suffering that they have endured as a result of the death.
To recover mental anguish damages, the survivors must generally prove that they have experienced severe emotional distress and that the death has caused them to suffer a great deal of mental anguish.
Filing for a Wrongful Death Claim
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another, a wrongful death claim will help you recover damages. These damages may include medical and funeral expenses, lost wages and income, loss of companionship, and more. An experienced wrongful death attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
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