Damages in Burbank Wrongful Death Cases

Suddenly, losing your beloved partner can alter the course of your life. Instead of planning for the future with your loved one by your side, you are shifting your goals and trying to figure out how you will manage. Such a loss can bring both emotional pain and financial struggles to your family.

Fortunately, a compassionate wrongful death attorney can help you pursue a claim. With their experience, you might be able to receive financial compensation from the person responsible for your loved one’s untimely death. Damages in Burbank wrongful death cases could relieve your financial burdens created by the unexpected loss of your loved one.

Economic Damages in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Economic damages are quantifiable losses that have clear monetary values. These could cover various costs, even financial support, that a family might have expected to receive later. For example, a deceased person’s child could seek economic damages to cover the cost of the child’s college education if they can prove that their parent planned to contribute to their tuition and expenses.

Families in Burbank can seek recovery of the following types of economic damages in wrongful death claims:

• The decedent’s funeral and burial expenses
• The decedent’s medical bills from the time of their injury or final illness until their death
• Loss of gifts and financial support that the family might have expected to receive during a decedent’s lifetime
• Loss of the value of the household services that the decedent would have performed, such as caring for the children, yard work, or housekeeping
• Lost wages and future lost earning expenses and benefits that the decedent would have earned in their lifetime and contributed to the household’s finances

An attorney could help surviving family members prove that the decedent’s death caused the economic expenses by assisting the family in gathering, locating, and producing receipts, invoices, bills, pay stubs, and other proof of expenses.

Non-Economic Damages in a Wrongful Death Suit

Non-economic damages do not have direct monetary values assigned to them, yet they are still actual losses. Family members who lost a loved one can pursue the following types of non-economic damages:

• Loss of moral support
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of training and guidance, particularly for a child who loses their mother or father and will not have their parent to guide them through childhood until they reach adulthood

The values of these types of losses can vary significantly depending on many factors. A lawyer in Burbank could help present evidence to bolster the strength of a family’s claim to get them the maximum possible compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.

Survival Action Suits

Unlike other states, this one does not allow a deceased person’s heirs to sue for their pain and suffering or the pain and suffering of the deceased prior to their death. However, the family might be able to pursue those kinds of damages in a separate survival action. If a family wants guidance as to whether a wrongful death or survival action claim is appropriate, they should consult with a knowledgeable local lawyer.

Caps on Recovery

Fortunately, in most situations, there is no cap on the recovery of economic or non-economic damages. However, state law restricts the recovery of non-economic damages in deaths resulting from medical malpractice. An attorney could explain how that cap might affect a family’s recovery in a particular claim.

Reach Out to a Burbank Attorney About Wrongful Death Damages

While nothing can restore your life to the way it was before you lost your loved one in a preventable accident or incident, recovering damages in Burbank wrongful death cases could greatly help your family. Your financial burdens will be reduced. In addition, if you prevail in your legal claim, you could take comfort in knowing the responsible party has been held accountable. Connect with our team today to schedule a consultation and start pursuing the compensation you and your family deserve.