Money alone can’t make up for a loved one’s life being unfairly cut short by another person’s reckless, careless, or intentional actions. The purpose of filing a wrongful death lawsuit after a tragedy like this isn’t to assign a financial value to a human being but instead to help you and your family handle specific harmful effects that your loved one’s premature death will have on your lives.
Recoverable damages in York wrongful death cases can include various kinds of harm, including losses with objective financial values and losses that you’ll have to value based on your own unique experiences and needs. There’s no substitute for a seasoned wrongful death lawyer’s support in identifying and setting a fair value for your specific damages. Contact Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers to discuss what you may be able to factor into this sort of claim.
Recovering for Economic and Non-Economic Losses
The legal terms for objective financial ones and subjective personal losses are economic damages and non-economic damages. While these are the same categories of damages that can be factored into a standard injury claim filed after a non-fatal accident, wrongful death damages in York tend to be slightly different than those incorporated into other types of claims because they’re meant to compensate surviving family members rather than the injured person themselves.
For instance, economic damages in a wrongful death case can include medical bills paid on a deceased person’s behalf, as well as other expenses related to their death like the costs of funeral and burial services, lost future financial support, and value of inheritance the deceased person would’ve provided. On the non-economic side of things, it’s possible to recover for your own emotional distress caused by the loss of your family member, as well as things like lost help around the house, lost love and companionship, and lost guidance and advice.
Can Wrongful Death Claims Include Punitive Damages?
Technically, Pennsylvania courts have the authority to make people found liable for wrongful deaths pay punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. Punitive damages are meant to punish someone for intentionally and maliciously trying to hurt or kill someone or otherwise acting with extreme disregard for the safety of others.
It’s rare for a court to actually include punitive damages in York wrongful death cases, but they’re slightly more common in cases involving intentional criminal conduct by the person being sued. As a legal professional can further explain, punitive damages are generally calculated as a percentage of the total value of compensatory damages awarded, up to a maximum of 200% of their original value.
A York Attorney Can Help Demand Fair Damages in a Wrongful Death Case
Ideally, no one should ever lose their life solely due to someone else’s misconduct, nor should anyone have to deal with losing a close family member under the same circumstances. If your family has been affected by this kind of tragedy, you likely have a right to demand comprehensive compensation from everyone who played a role in causing your loss.
You have help available with maximizing damages in your York wrongful death case from a skilled and respected lawyer. Call today to discuss your options during a free, no-obligation consultation.
