Financial protection is one of the main reasons why people purchase life insurances. It gives you a sense of security when you are living this unpredictable life. Around 40% of Americans claim that they do not own any insurance. However, the 60% who own a life insurance policy is as equally vulnerable to deaths as the remaining half. No one knows what would happen to you the next moment. An unexpected event of death could leave the next of kin devastated.
It is quite possible that someone who has lost a dear one is struggling to find a way forward financially. This is where the legal foundations come to their protection. Expert wrongful death lawyers have repeatedly shown that a sizeable amount of compensation could be recovered if the trial is conducted appropriately. This requires a good knowledge of the damages that you are entitled to recover after the wrongful death cases.
Types of Damages Recoverable In California Wrongful Death Claims
By making the right claims, the family members will be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages. You need to find the appropriate wrongful death lawyers for this. Below are the damages that you can recover.
• Funeral and burial operating expense
• Damage of household services
• Loss of society and companionship
• Loss of community, guidance, moral support and affection
• Healthcare before the deceased’s passing
• Lost income, benefits, and expected inheritances from the deceased
Recovering Punitive Damages in California
The list above consists of damages that are compensatory to a large extent. They offer compensation to claimants for the losses they had to suffer as a direct or indirect result of the wrongful death. Majority of the wrongful death compensations are comprised of these. However, in certain cases, the claimants may be eligible for punitive damages. The surviving family member is entitled to recover punitive damages if the death was a result of felony homicide.
In certain survival actions too, punitive damages are recovered. These are usually claimed along with wrongful death claims. The survival action is a different lawsuit. It allows the surviving heirs to sue on behalf of the deceased. These cases are usually filed on matters that the deceased would have been eligible to file if they had survived.
In case a person died from the faulty execution of medical practices, there would be two ways to claim compensation. First, there could be a lawsuit filed for the loss of life. Secondly, a survival action could be filed in which the medical company could be sued for their medical malfunction, which resulted in death.