A wrongful
death lawsuit alleges that the loved one was killed as a result of the negligence
(or liability) on the part of the defendant's), and that the surviving dependents
or beneficiaries are entitled to monetary damages as a result of the defendant's
conduct.
The following damages may be recovered in a wrongful death action:
(1) Immediate expenses associated with the death (medical & funeral): (2) Loss of victim's anticipated earnings in the future until time of retirement or death; (3) Loss of benefits caused by the victim's death (pension, medical coverage, etc.); (4) Loss of inheritance caused by the untimely death; (5) Pain and suffering, or mental anguish to the survivors; (6) Loss of care, protection, companionship to the survivors; (7) General damages; and (8) Punitive damages.