What types of damages can be awarded in wrongful death suits?

Losing a loved one in a fatal accident can be completely devastating. On top of the grief, sadness and confusion that friends and family members struggle with, there can also be the anxiety of figuring out how to deal with the financial repercussions of a loss.

As much as people may not want to think about it, the fact is families can find themselves dealing with unexpected and overwhelming expenses and damages after someone passes away. In order to recover and begin to move forward, loved ones may want to consider filing a wrongful death claim against a negligent or reckless party who is responsible for the death. When these claims are successful, survivors can collect compensation for economic as well as non-economic damages in accordance with Florida statutes.

Economic damages include those expenses that can easily be tallied and accounted for. For instance, medical expenses, funeral expenses and future wages that are now lost can all be considered economic damages. There may also be expenses that were incurred after an accident but before a person passed away that can be recovered, like in-home care and therapy.

There are also non-economic damages that can be awarded in a wrongful death lawsuit. These are damages that cannot be calculated so easily; they are intangible and don’t necessarily have an objective monetary value but they can be significant. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering as well as loss of guidance, companionship, support and protection.

Figuring out the financial toll of a death can be extraordinarily difficult, especially considering there is no amount of money that can replace someone or truly compensate survivors for the loss. However, working with an attorney to file a wrongful death lawsuit and pursue the damages available can help loved ones hold the appropriate parties accountable and seek the financial support they may greatly need and deserve in light of a tragic death.