There are few times in life that feel as horrible as when you lose someone you love. It may have been an accidental death, but knowing that someone’s negligence was the cause of your loved one’s death can be devastating to you and your family. Fortunately, in most cases, you can at least seek compensation. While this won’t make up for the loss of your family member, it can help you support yourself and your family, to pay medical bills, and to focus on the future.
The children, spouses, parents, and other loved ones related to a person who has passed away may have a right to financial recovery. How this recovery is determined is by looking at the economic value of the person’s life. While this could seem cold, it’s the only way for a court to fairly account for the money that person would have contributed to your life over time.
For example, if the person who passed away was just starting a new career and had high earnings, the economic loss would be considered higher than if a child or elderly family member passed away. There’s no real way to value a human life, but this is generally the way courts try to determine economic loss.
Besides economic loss, you may also be compensated for the loss of companionship or for your loved one’s pain and suffering. If you had travel costs or other financial burdens as a result of the death, those may be considered as well. Our website has more information on the kinds of compensation you can expect.