Types of Damages You Can Recover in a Wrongful Death Claim

Losing a loved one unexpectedly due to negligence can be the most devastating experience of your life. Such a loss can bring emotional and psychological suffering to a decedent’s surviving loved ones, not to mention many unforeseen out-of-pocket expenses.

Medical bills, funeral costs, and lost earning ability are just a few of the burdens that surviving family members may face after the wrongful death of a loved one. To learn more about what types of damages you can recover in a wrongful death claim, get in touch with a member of our legal team today.

Funeral and Burial Expenses

Funerals, unfortunately, are not cheap, and being an unexpected expense makes them hard to financially prepare for ahead of time. Examples of some of the most common purchases you’ll need to make in the aftermath of a wrongful death include:

• Burial
• Casket
• Embalming
• Transportation
• Monument
• And more

These costs quickly add up, resulting in an average funeral cost between $7,000 and $12,000. Fortunately, these costs can be recovered through a successful wrongful death claim.

Medical Care Expenses

In many wrongful death cases, the decedent received medical treatment before succumbing to their injuries. Whether for emergency treatment, hospitalization, or end-of-life care, these medical expenses must still be paid. It is unfair for a grieving family to bear these costs after losing a loved one due to negligence. For this reason, it is possible to recover these medical expenses from before the decedent passed away.

Damages other than Economic

Of course, the financial damages resulting from a wrongful death are only one aspect of such a devastating loss. The emotional and psychological damages you’re going through – as well as the anguish your loved one went through before they died – deserve to be compensated.

However, because these damages are not financial in nature, it can be difficult to determine how much compensation you are entitled to for such intangible losses. By working with a wrongful death attorney, you can increase your chances of getting the full amount of compensation you deserve for your family’s damages.

The Decedent’s Pain and Suffering

It may be difficult to imagine, but the decedent could have been in tremendous discomfort before their passing due to accident-related injuries. This suffering should not go uncompensated, which is why we are dedicated to fighting for the rights of surviving family members to seek pain and suffering damages on behalf of their deceased loved ones.

Punitive Damages

Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are not paid to compensate a surviving family’s losses. Instead, they are intended to punish egregious negligence or intentional wanton disregard for others. You and your family may be entitled to punitive damages if the at-fault party acted with severe recklessness or extreme malice before your loved one’s wrongful death.

Ask a Wrongful Death Attorney about Recoverable Damages

Wrongful death is the most tragic result of any accident, whether it is a car accident, a work-related injury, a truck accident, or any other kind of incident. We understand how difficult this can be for surviving family members, and how critical it is to have someone on your side who you can trust and who will fight tirelessly for your family’s best interests.

While it may be easier to accept whatever offer an insurance provider makes, we believe you should seek maximum compensation for whatever damages you have suffered because of the irresponsible party’s actions or inaction. For a free consultation on what types of damages you can recover in a wrongful death claim, contact us today.