When someone passes away, family members may believe it was due to the negligence of another person. One example of this could be if the doctor was negligent and the patient passed away or if a driver was intoxicated and crossed the centerline, causing a deadly head-on collision.
In a situation like this, the family may decide to seek financial compensation from the person who was responsible. But what types of compensation could be considered?
Medical care
To start with, even in a fatal accident, some element of medical care is going to be rendered. This could lead to tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, even for a short-term treatment option that was ultimately not successful. Many families seek compensation because they cannot afford these unexpected bills.
Funeral costs
Additionally, simply going through with a funeral can cost thousands of dollars. A service has to be booked, a burial plot has to be purchased and much more. The elderly often plan for these expenses, but an unexpected passing can be much more difficult.
Lost earnings
The third area that you may want to consider is lost earnings or lost wages. A family may have been counting on the person who passed away to support them for decades to come. Not only are they missing out on the money the person should have been earning right then, but they may have lost out on years’ worth of future wages that they were anticipating.
Families who are in this position need to make sure that they know exactly what legal steps to take.