After you have lost someone that you care about, the financial loss can be a heavy burden on top of the grief you may already be experiencing. Now that your family member is gone, you might be left without a steady income—not to mention funeral costs or any outstanding medical bills. You should not be concerned with these expenses when someone else is responsible for the accident that led to your loved one’s death.
Seeking damages can help hold the negligent party accountable for their actions and could help bring your family closure. You deserve to know what damages in Roswell wrongful death cases might be available and to pursue them right way. A compassionate wrongful death attorney could help you seek damages and get the compensation you are owed.
Getting Compensation in Wrongful Death Cases
A wrongful death case is a legal action to pursue restitution after a loved one has lost their life. Negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts by an individual can all be considered grounds for a wrongful death claim. The responsible party may be liable for certain costs suffered by the surviving family members.
Compensation in wrongful death cases is meant to help atone for both actual expenses and the intangible losses of the deceased’s loved ones. These surviving family members may be entitled to significant financial awards for what they have been through.
Types of Compensation in Wrongful Death Actions
When people consider damages that could be claimed for compensation, they often think purely of monetary factors, such as funeral and medical costs or lost income. However, when someone unexpectedly loses a family member, there are significant non-economic damages such as grief, pain, and suffering, and loss of consortium. Pursuing reparations for these damages from the wrongdoer is key to winning a lawsuit. Once a lawyer proves the claim, family members could be entitled to compensation for any of the following:
Funeral Costs
After a person passes, the price of the funeral can be quite high. Funerals commonly cost over $10,000. This is a major expense and should be paid for by the party who caused the death.
Medical Costs
Injuries that lead to death often result in significant medical debt. Hospital bills, surgery costs, rehabilitation services, and much more add up quickly. The cost of medical assistance can be incredibly high. This financial burden should not fall upon the surviving family members to pay. Instead, a proper wrongful death claim may put the costs where they belong—on the responsible party.
Lost Income
When a person passes away, their income is lost for the family. Especially in situations when the deceased family member is a spouse or parent, this loss can be extremely significant. It could represent hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars over the lifespan the person was likely to live. This loss could make up a substantial amount of the wrongful death damages owed.
Grief, Pain, and Suffering
The premature loss of a loved one can result in immeasurable emotional pain for those left behind. This suffering is considered a non-economic damage, and may be reimbursable in a successful wrongful death action. Evidence of the familial relationship and the feelings created by the loss could help prove this case. There is no set compensation amount for this damage, instead the jury determines the value of the claim in court.
Loss of Consortium
The loss of companionship a family or spouse experiences after a wrongful death is substantial and can be a compensable loss when a person seeks damages for a wrongful death case.
Seek Damages for Wrongful Death Cases in Roswell
You may find it difficult to manage the legal and financial aftermath following the death of a loved one. However, you do not have to do it alone. By reaching out to a committed lawyer, you could get the support and legal advice needed, and the compensation you deserve, after a wrongful death case.
Damages in Roswell wrongful death cases could make a major difference in your life following the loss of a loved one. Call today to schedule a consultation with one of our empathetic attorneys.