Losing a family member due to illness or age is usually hard on any close friends and family members. Coming to terms with the demise of a dear one due to the actions of another individual makes the situation even worse. A scenario where someone’s actions cause the loss of life of an individual is wrongful death.
The family members should seek to understand the causes and circumstances that led to the death of their dear one. Doing so will not only ease the grieving process but will reveal the actual cause of death.
Filing for Compensation
If there is proof that the death situation is wrongful death, you can file for compensation. It is advisable that you work with an experienced lawyer in proving your case in court, explains wrongful death attorneys in Los Angeles. The attorney will require to present proof before the court that the death is wrongful and that the family has suffered damages. The damages that a family can suffer fall into either or a combination of these categories:
Economic Damages
These damages refer to the financial responsibilities that the deceased was meeting for the family. Most of the financial obligations the family has to shoulder include medical costs incurred. They also include losing monthly earnings and employee benefits such as pensions. The family also incurs funeral costs that go into giving the deceased a decent burial.
Non-Economic
This type of damages does not have to deal with financial responsibilities. They relate to emotional attachments and usually have weighty consequences as economic damages. They are non-tangible and include the loss of companionship and love and loss of guidance and training that the deceased offered. It also includes the emotional suffering and torture that the family suffers after losing their loved one.
Punitive Damages
When the cause of the wrongful death involves bad conduct on the defendant, the jury may award the family a certain amount of money. Compensation for these damages is uncommon due to the complexity of proving the eligibility of the family to receive these funds. The amount that a family receives as compensation for the different kinds of damages they suffer will depend on the validity of the case at hand. It will also depend on your proof of the damages and proper representation by your attorney. Therefore, always hire the services of a seasoned attorney to ensure you get through the case successfully. Only then can you be confident you will get full compensation.
Besides the loss of the physical touch from a loved one, family members suffer different kinds of damages when they lose a dear one. That also applies even to wrongful death circumstances. You, however, can get proof for each of the different damages and support your case in court, add wrongful death attorneys in Los Angeles. Although no compensation can match the physical absence of a dear one, the peace of getting justice will help ease grieving. The compensation you will receive will also help you cover the financial strains that you could be experiencing due to the loss.