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What Damages Can I Request in a Wrongful Death Case?If you’re in the terrible position of having lost a loved one due to the recklessness or negligence of someone else, then you may have a wrongful death case. What does that mean? It means that the person who was negligent or reckless may be required to provide the family member of the deceased with compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.

The first step is for you to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707. We can provide you with a free case evaluation to give you specific information on your unique circumstances. Not every death results in a wrongful death lawsuit but if you’re eligible then we want to help you. Read on to learn more about what types of damages are recoverable and then reach out to Attorney Vargas.

There are specific damages you may be entitled to

The damages that are recoverable in a California wrongful death case are set out in the California Code of Civil Procedure. This code states specifically that the plaintiff may recover damages “under all the circumstances of the case, may be just. But what exactly does that mean? Depending on your case, it may mean both economic damages and non-economic damages.

What are economic damages?

Put simply, economic damages are just what they sound like – money the family of the deceased was required to pay as a result of the accident and / or their death, as well as money that said family would have gotten if the deceased hadn’t died. This can include:

  • Funeral expenses.
  • Burial expenses
  • Financial support that the deceased would likely have given to their heir during the average life expectancy of the deceased and / or the heir.
  • The loss of gifts the heirs of the deceased could have recently expected to get from the deceased.

Figuring out the exact amount of these economic damages can be challenging and it can be painful to think about. The good news is that when you work with a personal injury attorney, we will work with experts who can calculate these amounts and back them up for the judge and / or jury.

What are non-economic damages?

Economic damages can be figured out via formulas and real values, but non-economic damages are potentially more complicated because they include, as the name implies, non-economic damages. That may include compensation for:

  • The loss of love, comfort, companionship, care, assistance, affection, etc. from the deceased.
  • Loss of sexual relations for the spouse or partner of the deceased.
  • Loss of training and guidance the deceased would have provided.

Do you have a wrongful death case?

It’s important to know that not everyone can file a wrongful death case and that not all situations warrant this type of lawsuit. The good news is that we’re happy to offer a free case evaluation. Just call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 and let us consider your case. We’ll let you know if you should move forward or move on.