There are often two main purposes to wrongful death litigation. The first is to provide grieving families with justice. Having the courts declare a business or a person responsible for a tragic loss can give people closure and help them move on with their lives.
Additionally, they can request compensation for the various losses they sustain because their family member died prematurely. Wrongful death lawsuits can assist with the recovery of funds spent on medical care and funerals. They can replace lost wages. They can also help surviving family members address the potentially costly loss of unpaid household services.
Work around the home is valuable
Perhaps the person who died in a drunk driving car crash was a stay-at-home mom. She may have provided housework and child care services that have an economic value of more than $4,500 each month.
Even family members who worked out of the home but assisted with home/vehicle maintenance, cleaning, cooking or child-rearing could have provided thousands of dollars in services each month. While the family didn’t pay the deceased individual for those services, they may have to pay someone else to assume that responsibility.
Additionally, the pressure to pick up the slack and assume more responsibilities in the home can affect an individual’s daily schedule and work performance. The more services the deceased party provided and the more costly those services are when hiring professionals, the greater the impact that loss of services can have on the pending lawsuit.
Identifying all of the losses triggered by a tragic passing can help families as they prepare for a wrongful death lawsuit. Families may need help determining the value of the services their loved one provided, and that’s okay.