How much is a wrongful death case worth and how are the damages calculated?
Determining the amount of damages in a wrongful death case is difficult and every individual case is different. The full value of a person’s life is difficult to measure. Economic damages are typically calculated based upon the expected earnings that the decedent would have made if he or she had lived. Non-economic damages are also awarded based upon a jury’s “enlightened conscience” to account for intangible benefits of life. Damages such as funeral and medical expenses, which are sought by the decedent’s estate, are easier to determine. If your case goes to trial, economists or other experts may be called to establish economic damages such as lost wage and lost future earnings. Ultimately it is up to a jury of your peers to determine the value of a wrongful death case.
