When negligence claims a loved one’s life, the emotional and financial impact can be devastating. In Cincinnati, wrongful death lawsuits help families address the suffering that they have experienced, providing them with the compensation that they need to rebuild their lives in the aftermath.
While no amount of money can truly make up for your loved one’s absence, securing fair compensation can provide crucial support for your family’s future. Understanding the types of damages available in wrongful death claims can help you seek appropriate compensation for all aspects of your loss. A wrongful death lawyer in Cincinnati can help your family navigate this challenging period and secure justice for your loved one.
Economic Damages
In wrongful death lawsuits, like many other personal injury claims, there are two primary categories of damages that you can recover: economic and non-economic. Economic damages address the quantifiable financial losses your family faces after losing a loved one. These damages include medical expenses incurred before your loved one’s death, from emergency care to rehabilitation. You can also secure compensation to help pay for funeral and burial costs.
The most significant economic damages often stem from lost income and future earning potential. An attorney can work with financial experts to calculate the total wages, benefits, and retirement contributions your loved one would have earned throughout their career. Your settlement will also account for the monetary value of services they provided in life, such as childcare, home maintenance, and household management.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages acknowledge the profound emotional toll faced by the deceased and their surviving family members. These damages compensate for the pain and suffering that the victim experienced before death, as well as surviving family members for the loss of companionship, guidance, and emotional support their loved one provided.
Mental anguish suffered by family members is another important component. This includes the emotional trauma, grief, and psychological impact of the sudden loss. While non-economic damages prove challenging to quantify, a Cincinnati wrongful death lawyer can leverage common formulas and prior case law to estimate this portion of the settlement.
Punitive Damages
In wrongful death cases that involve particularly egregious conduct, Ohio law allows for punitive damages. These damages serve to punish wrongdoers and deter similar behavior in the future. Courts may award punitive damages when defendants act with malice or demonstrate a conscious disregard for others’ safety.
For example, punitive damages might apply in cases involving drunk driving or intentional acts of violence. Ohio sets a limit on punitive damages at twice the amount of economic and non-economic damages that the court awards. While this compensation is not available in every case, punitive damages can increase the overall settlement when they do apply.
Determine the Value of Your Claim with Monge & Associates
Every wrongful death case is unique and has a different impact on the lives of the surviving family members. In these situations, it is important to work with a lawyer who can accurately calculate your total damages and pursue every available avenue for compensation.
At Monge & Associates, our Cincinnati injury lawyers have helped families fight for the full settlement that they need to move forward. We work tirelessly to document every aspect of your loss and build compelling cases that demonstrate the impact on your family. If you have lost a loved one, contact us at (513) 224-5591 for a free consultation and begin your journey to justice.