Quantifying someone’s contributions after a wrongful death

Some people die of natural causes, and others die because of the misconduct or mistakes of another party. Individuals and businesses can contribute to someone dying needlessly and preventably. California law includes provisions so that the surviving family members of someone who dies because of illegal activity or negligence by another party can seek financial compensation.

Wrongful death lawsuits are a pathway to financial justice that the civil courts offer to those struggling to cope with a recent family tragedy. You can claim the direct impact the death has had and will have on your family.

How do you put a price on the contributions your loved one would have made if they had survived?

Look at their employment prospects

One of the most important steps when pursuing a wrongful death claim will be to determine the future household contributions of the deceased individual. Some losses that you can claim, like medical expenses, are easier to put a price on because they have actual invoices.

Someone’s future earning potential is always up in the air, as they might get a promotion or a job offer from a new business. There are also employment benefits to consider, which can substantially increase the financial value of someone’s job. Looking at not just someone’s income at the time that they died but their likely future income given the possibility of raises and promotions will surviving family members maximize what they can claim in court.

Get help pursuing justice

Between the inertia often associated with profound and unexpected grief and the challenges of redistributing financial and practical responsibilities within your household, it may be hard for your family to manage a wrongful death claim without professional support.

Not only may you lack insight into the legal system in California, but you may not have the focus or attention to detail necessary to fill out paperwork properly. Additionally, you might make oversights, like failing to adjust future income for likely raises and promotions, that would limit how much your family eventually receives for its efforts.

Holding another party accountable for your family’s recent loss requires not just a basic understanding of California wrongful death claims but also of the economic impact that your loss will have on your family.