Damages in Westlake Village Wrongful Death Cases

If you recently lost a close family member to a preventable accident or a criminal act, you know that money alone cannot erase your family’s pain and trauma. However, it may still be important to proactively seek civil compensation after losing a loved one in this way, since the money you recover now could help keep your personal finances stable and minimize the long-term impact of this tragedy.

Recoverable damages in Westlake Village wrongful death cases can vary a lot from claim to claim depending on what led to the wrongful death, who can legally seek compensation through that claim, and how old the person was at the time of their death. However, what is consistent across virtually every lawsuit of this nature is how important the support of a seasoned wrongful death attorney could be to achieving the best possible case outcome.

Short-Term Expenses

First and foremost, a wrongful death lawsuit or settlement demand in Westlake Village may seek compensation for the immediate economic damages the wrongful death has caused or may cause in the near future. This could include the costs of:

• Funeral and burial services
• Estate administration expenses
• Medical bills paid by surviving family members for their deceased family member

Medical bills paid by the decedent typically need to be factored into a different type of claim called a survival action.

Lost Future Financial Support

A comprehensive wrongful death claim could also seek restitution in advance for the financial support that a deceased person would have provided to their spouse, children, and/or other dependents in the years and decades to come. Importantly, this could include not only wages or salary from employment but also other employment-related benefits such as:

• Health insurance
• Lost future value of inheritance
• The financial costs associated with a loss of household services and assistance

Lost Love and Companionship

Non-economic damages in Westlake Village wrongful death claims typically center around the loss of guidance, companionship, and emotional support that the decedent would have provided. Spouses and intimate partners may be able to claim loss of consortium (the intangible benefits of a relationship), especially if the decedent was young when they passed away.

What About Emotional Anguish?

In many states, surviving family members of wrongful death victims could recover damages for their own emotional anguish and distress stemming from the loss of their loved ones. California state courts generally do not allow this type of loss to be factored into wrongful death claims, although it is sometimes possible to seek compensation for the deceased person’s physical pain and suffering related to their fatal injury.

Contact a Westlake Village Attorney To Seek Comprehensive Damages in Your Wrongful Death Claim

No person’s life can be assigned a dollar value under any circumstances, and certainly not after that life has been unfairly cut short by another person’s misconduct. Nevertheless, financial restitution is the only practical way for the civil court system to provide some measure of justice to the family members of wrongful death victims and help them move on from the tragedy.

If you have further questions about damages in Westlake Village wrongful death cases, a qualified attorney could provide the answers and information you need. Call us today to set up a meeting.