Losing a loved one in Pennsylvania and New York is never easy. The hope is that loved ones will live long, full lives, giving the family plenty of time to prepare themselves for the loss. However, that does not happen for everyone. Unfortunately, there are many people who pass away at a younger age in fatal accidents. These can be particularly devasting for the family who had no time to prepare and are suddenly left with a massive void.
These types of sudden deaths are emotionally devastating, but they can also be devastating financially. The loved one may have provided a significant amount of income for the family and with that suddenly gone, simply paying monthly bills can be difficult.
The family of the deceased may be able to receive compensation though if the death was caused by the negligence or intentional actions of other people. They can do this through a wrongful death lawsuit.
Types of damages families can receive in a wrongful death lawsuit
These lawsuits are designed to give the family the financial resources they would have had if the loved one had not been killed. The damages they can receive include potential future earnings, the costs associated with medical bills and funeral costs. There could be compensation for pain and suffering as well.
However, determining the appropriate amount of compensation the family deserves can be complicated. Calculating people’s future income involves analyzing people’s current income, projected income and health. This usually requires experts to calculate the potential earnings.
Families in New York and Pennsylvania never want to be in a position where they are filing a wrongful death lawsuit. However, when put into a situation when a loved one is killed due to the negligence of other people, these lawsuits become very important for many reasons. The compensation will never replace the loved one, but it can provide economic security as the family is forced to move on without the loved one in their lives.