Losing a loved one is difficult no matter the circumstances. After they have passed, unanticipated costs, such as medical bills, loss of income, or funeral expenses, may be challenging to handle while coping with grief. When someone’s negligence has led to the death of someone close to you, you may feel a burning need for justice. Our compassionate wrongful death attorneys could help you understand all options for pursuing compensation.
While financial losses are not the worst part of grief, our legal team at Tomeny | Best understands how quickly monetary stress becomes overwhelming. A diligent lawyer from our firm could help explain the potential damages in Lafayette wrongful death cases so you could understand what to expect from a claim. In addition to compensation for financial losses, these damages may repay you for your emotional pain and trauma.
What Are Special Damages?
Special damages are the most accessible type of damages to prove as they compensate people for financial losses resulting from a death. Those damages include lost wages, loss of income, medical bills, and funeral expenses.
Our well-practiced lawyers at Tomeny | Best could help people expand their perception of special damages that could be awarded. Many people look at the loss of income or direct expenses related to the injury or death. However, they experience several financial challenges as a result of the death. For instance, when the deceased was the person who handled mowing the yard, getting a lawn service is a financial loss related to it. Additionally, the death of a stay-at-home mom may require hiring a nanny. To determine the total special damages related to a wrongful death case, a Lafayette lawyer will go over all past and future expenses for a person so that they could have a comprehensive view of what to anticipate.
Understanding General Damages
While special damages address economic losses, general damages focus on non-financial losses. When a loved one dies before their time, people close to them miss out on their companionship. A husband is no longer there to grow old with his wife. A mother is no longer there to dance with a son at his wedding. These losses do not have a direct financial value but are valuable.
In awarding general damages, the court attempts to put a monetary value on these non-monetary losses. General damages do not make up for the loved one’s death, but they can help put people in a better financial position and increase their opportunities for seeking justice. The courts have substantial discretion when awarding general damages for wrongful death cases. They can consider pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium, emotional anguish, and loss of companionship in Lafayette.
When To Expect Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are not always available as the courts specifically use punitive damages to punish wrongdoers whose behavior was egregious in some manner. The goal of these damages is not only to compensate the surviving family but also to send a message to others considering engaging in similar behavior. A Lafayette attorney could help a person explore whether punitive damages could be a potential form of damages in a wrongful death claim.
A Lafayette Attorney Could Help You Learn More About Wrongful Death Damages
When negligence leads to a death, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. However, many factors can impact your eligibility, including your relationship to the deceased, and the circumstances of the death.
The experienced attorneys at Tomeny | Best offer free consultations, where they could evaluate the facts surrounding your claim to let you know about potential damages in Lafayette wrongful death cases. Call us today to understand your available options.
