A wrongful death is a harrowing experience for loved ones. The emotional toll of the loss is exacerbated by the fact that the deceased was taken due to an incident that could have been avoided. If you have a close relative that was the victim of a wrongful death, you deserve compensation.
Eltringham Law Group can assist you in getting compensated for your damages. We will make the process as stress-free as possible. We will tell you the average settlement for wrongful death, so you know exactly what you stand to recover.
What Type of Damages Can You Recover in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
How much you sue for wrongful death is directly related to what type of damages you incurred. These may include one or more of the following:
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Medical expenses for any attempt made to save the decedent’s life
- Loss of financial contributions the deceased was making to the family
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Covering the cost of any services the victim provided to the household, such as home maintenance and childcare
- Punitive damages
How Much Do I Stand to Be Compensated for Wrongful Death Settlements in Florida?
The amount you stand to be compensated for in wrongful death settlements in Florida will widely vary due to various factors that can strongly impact case value.
What Factors Come into Play in Determining the Average Settlement for Wrongful Death?
Here are some factors that are considered in calculating your average settlement for wrongful death.
The types of damages you are eligible to collect
The damages you are eligible to collect may include emotional pain and suffering, the loss of financial contributions, punitive damages, and more. However, not every case will involve all these damages. The more damages you can claim, the more you can collect.
The individual’s financial worth
Most families stand to collect compensation for the loss of a working victim’s financial contribution to the household. The amount of the damages they claim will vary depending on the victim’s income level. For this reason, the family of an elderly retired victim may not be entitled to recover as much as the family of a younger victim killed during their prime earning years.
The individual’s contributions to the family
If the victim contributed to the family regarding household chores, childcare, etc., the defendant may have to reimburse the family for getting a professional to perform those services.
Comparative fault
Comparative fault will play a role in how much the victim’s family stands to gain. If the court decides that the victim was partly at fault for the accident, the damages may be reduced. For example, if the victim died in a car accident because another driver cut them off, but it was also found the victim was speeding, they may be partially at fault.
The amount they were at fault will be calculated and reduced from the damages. So, if they were found to be 50% at fault for the accident, they would only stand to collect 50% of the total damages. For example, if total damages were $100,000, they would only collect $50,000.
How much can the defendant afford
You can sue the defendant for any amount you wish, but you won’t get your full settlement unless they have the money you are requesting. For example, if you are suing for damages of $1 million but the defendant only has $50,000 in liability insurance, that’s very often the most you’ll stand to collect (unless the responsible party has other available collectible financial assets to impose judgment on).
Eltringham Law Group Can Help You with Your Wrongful Death Settlements in Florida
Another key factor in how much you stand to collect in your wrongful death lawsuit is the negotiating skills of your lawyer.
Eltringham Law Group has years of experience dealing with personal injury cases. We will fight relentlessly to see to it that justice is done. Contact us today.