A wrongful death happens when someone’s negligence or recklessness leads to an event that causes an untimely death. The unique circumstances resulting from a wrongful death are particularly devastating—not only have you lost a friend or a loved one, but you have also lost their life, their company, and their contribution.
Wrongful death cases help you to find closure for your loved one, hold those responsible for their death accountable, and help you continue your life as best as you can without them. Wrongful death suits award the families or representatives of the deceased with financial compensation (called damages in the law) to help them recover from the wrongful death. While the challenges of going through a legal procedure after the loss of a loved one may seem insurmountable, there is help available.
Experienced Minnesota Wrongful Death Attorneys
Bringing a wrongful death case often comes with high stakes. You are going before the court to hold accountable the person or entity responsible for your loved one’s death. After losing a loved one, you also lost the personal and financial support that they once gave you. If you fail on your claim, you stand to lose more than just the case.
It is vital that you hire an experienced wrongful death attorney to achieve the best result possible. The 612-INJURED wrongful death attorneys understand the stakes and are ready to fight for you. To learn more or schedule your free initial case consultation, call or text us at (612) 465-8733.
Types of Damages Awarded in Wrongful Death Claims
As wrongful death cases are civil actions, recovery on a wrongful death case is money damages. Most wrongful death award laws require that all damages awarded be a fair amount, should the wrongful death claim against the defendant be successful.
Pecuniary
Pecuniary loss is the broad scope of damages awarded on a successful wrongful death claim. Pecuniary losses represent monetary losses or those to which the court can attach a dollar amount. Pecuniary loss tries to determine what the decedent would have contributed financially in the future had they not died. If a family has a child and one of the parents dies, the surviving parent has lost part of their support, which they may recover from the defendant if successful. The damages awarded can be economic, non-economic, or punitive.
Economic
Economic damages typically include all potential financial contributions the deceased would have given had they not died due to the defendant’s actions. These damages often involve:
- Funeral and medical costs
- Loss of expected earnings
- Loss of benefits, such as medical coverage
- Loss of inheritance
- Goods and services
Non-Economic
Non-economic damages do not have an apparent money value but often represent an emotional or personal loss. These damages can be harder to determine; however, the court attempts to compensate the families or loved ones for these losses. Non-economic losses include:
- Pain and suffering or mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium (the legal term for association or companionship with the loved one)
Punitive
Punitive damages are awarded by the court to punish the defendant if they exhibited especially bad or malicious behavior in causing the wrongful death. While it is possible to receive this type of damages, punitive damage awards are uncommon in most lawsuits.
Hiring a Minnesota Wrongful Death Attorney
You may feel overwhelmed and unsure of yourself when you’ve lost a loved one in a tragic event. It can be hard to know what your next step should be when a wrongful death occurs. Wrongful death cases are complicated, and even one wrong move can hurt your chances of recovery. Hiring a wrongful death attorney can help you achieve the best result. The 612-INJURED wrongful death lawyers understand the law and procedure and are ready to represent you. To learn more or schedule your free initial case consultation, call or text us at (612) 465-8733 for a free consultation.
