You will be misled by any estimate of “the average wrongful death settlement for California“. This is because settlement amounts can vary in value so that you cannot estimate the value of your claim.
Instead, it is important to learn the factors involved in a wrongful death claim so that you can make your own.
What Settlement Check Covers
California’s typical wrongful death settlement checks cover both economic and noneconomic damages. Your settlement will cover your legal expenses.
Damages
California wrongful death settlement amounts can include many components. These are the types you can seek.
Economic Damages
Economic damages can be easily counted, and include:
- If the victim had not died prematurely, they would have received financial support.
- The amount of benefits or gifts that the victim would have given to other family members and dependents.
- Funeral and burial expenses (unless paid by the estate).
- The household services the victim would have offered if they were alive.
This list is by no means complete.
Non-Economic Damages
Intangible damages are those that can be attributed to an intangible cause, and are usually psychological.
- Loss of love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance protection, affection, society, or moral support.
- Loss of intimacy between the victim and spouse/domestic partner.
- Loss of wisdom, advice, or guidance.
In a wrongful-death claim, you cannot recover the victim’s pain and suffering.
This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top personal injury lawyer Sherman Oaks CA, and the founder of Tenina law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
