What Are Wrongful Death Damages?
When you lose a loved one, this can create a huge emotional toll on your family members. This can as well lead to extreme financial challenges. There are laws in diverse states that offer the means to ease such financial load. This is best applicable when someone is certified as responsible for causing the casualty’s death.
When a person dies due to someone else’s act of negligence or duty, the grieving family members can choose to open a wrongful death case for claims and compensation. Even if the awarded amount won in such lawsuit may not make up for the loss of the victim, the damages awarded can help reduce the financial burden that may pose as challenge to the family.
Understanding Wrongful Death Damages
There are 3 well-known categories of wrongful death damages:
- Punitive,
- Economic,
- Non-economic
Every wrongful death case is distinctive, and there are many kinds of damages classified as standard in this context. These include:
Loss of Income: In wrongful death cases, this is one of the most significant damages considered. In the place where the victim was a primary income earner, his or her demise can leave loved ones and dependents in hugely reduced income. In order to determine the ideal amount of wrongful death damages, the courts will hire the services of qualified economists that will help calculate the victim’s expected income for ages to come, putting into consideration factors such as victim’s health, inflation, life expectancy, among others.
Health Bills/Funeral Outlays – In majority of wrongful deaths cases, the victim will be offered significant medical treatment prior to his or her death. Costs attributed to ambulance ride alone can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and, unfortunately, funerals can be extremely pricey. Such expenditures can place serious financial pressure on an already grief-stricken family. When the court awards such economic damages to the family of the victim, the court will be doing its best to help lighten the stress following a loved one’s death.
Loss of Benefits – Adding wages to this, the working adult demise can deprive his loved ones proper Social Security, health care, retirement benefits and pension plans, among others. The courts will calculate the likely financial total in awarding these economic welfares.
Care of a kid – In past times, if the victim of a wrongful death was a parent that is stay-at-home, the family would get little financial assistance for his or her demise. In current times, the courts know that the loss of a parent that is non-working can put a great financial burden on the loved ones. Courts will evaluate the costs of housekeeping, kid care, among other domestic services that the household must get following the loss of their beloved one.
Punitive Damages – These particular one serves 2 purposes. On the first basis, they help bring a sense of wholeness to dependents and loved ones that are grieving because of someone else’s irresponsible deeds. More pointedly, punitive damages serve as a warning to future negligent deed, much as a fine serves as a warning to criminal action.
How a Florida Personal Injury Attorney Can Help?
If you are looking at winning wrongful death case in Florida without the help of an experienced Florida attorney, this can end in disaster. Schedule an appointment today and speak with a qualified lawyer about your case