Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer

Wrongful Death

The death of a family member, friend, or loved one as a result of someone else's negligence can be a tragic and heartbreaking experience. Fortunately, there is legal recourse that can be taken to ensure you are compensated for both monetary and emotional damages that occurred as a result of this death. Unlike most other lawsuits, a wrongful death case can be brought to court by members of the victim's immediate family.

Although every state has its own wrongful death statutes, in general a wrongful death claim requires the following criteria.

• A death must occur;
• As a result of negligence or out of intent to cause harm, and;
• Monetary damages must be suffered as a result.

Damages in Wrongful Death Claims

Monetary damages typically include funeral and other death-related expenses, and the loss of wages or services that the victim provided. A thirty-five year old worker could expect to work for another thirty years and those wages are now forever lost. The death of an unemployed housewife would necessitate childcare and other related home expenses. These types of damages are referred to as "pecuniary loss".

However, damages are not solely restricted to pecuniary losses. In especially egregious cases of negligence, or cases where there was malicious intent, some states allow for punitive damages as a deterrent against future actions of this sort. Not all states allow for this, so it is important to discuss the matter with a lawyer experienced in wrongful death lawsuits.

Contact Us

To learn more about the legal issues surrounding a wrongful death, contact the Las Vegas personal injury lawyers of William Palmer & Associates, P.C. at 702-888-2222.