The law allows those harmed by others to file lawsuits seeking financial compensation. In cases where misconduct or negligence on the part of an individual or a business causes a death, the survivors left behind after the tragedy may also have the right to take legal action.
Wrongful death lawsuits can result in the courts declaring that one party was culpable for a recent loss. Successful lawsuits also lead to financial compensation for the economic impact of the tragedy. Frequently, wrongful death lawsuits involve claims for lost wages.
What compensation can families seek in cases where the person who died was a stay-at-home parent, not a wage-earner?
Household labor is a valuable contribution
The services that a stay-at-home parent provides for the family are likely worth more than $1,000 per week. The cost of child care alone can add up to hundreds of dollars weekly, especially when children are young or a family has multiple children.
Additional services, such as home maintenance, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, schedule management and transportation, are also all valuable. If the family hired professionals to provide that same work, they could pay hundreds of dollars per week for those various services.
Those left behind after a tragedy may need help identifying household services with economic value and then calculating the approximate value of a lifetime of those services. They can then include that figure in the damages sought in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Reviewing the impact of a recent tragedy with a legal professional can help surviving family members determine if litigation may be an option. A wrongful death lawsuit can diminish the lasting economic impact caused by a tragedy.
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