What is My Case Worth?

If you are wondering how much a wrongful death case could be worth, then you should contact your local Wrongful Death Attorney Orange County. More often than not, wrongful death cases are determined by juries rather than attorneys. It is up to jury members to hear both sides of the case and determine what the surviving family or the estate should receive from a wrongful death. There is no set precedent as to what families in a wrongful death case normally receive. In fact, there are no guidelines for these types of cases either. The only thing that can be done is to determine who is at fault for the wrongful death and what is available for the surviving members of the family.

How Do Attorneys Determine a Case’s Worth?

It is nearly impossible for anyone, let alone attorneys, to place a monetary value on a person’s life. Typically, what attorneys will do is find a past case where the variables were similar and compare what the settlement values for those cases were. While this does not give them an exact number, it does give them an idea of what the amount awarded may be. Since it is impossible to determine what a person’s life is worth, the settlement amount is typically determined by a chart that has various categories of damages on it. This chart determines that families are entitled to damages such as:

• Mental pain and anguish
• Medical expenses
• Funeral expenses
• Loss of financial support
• Loss of protection and companionship from the decedent
• Loss of guidance and instruction from a parent

The estate of the decedent is entitled to damages such as:

• Medical expenses for the decedent
• Funeral expenses for the decedent
• Loss of the decedent’s wages
• Loss of the net accumulations

In conjunction with this chart, your wrongful death attorney Orange may also consult someone such as an economist who could help determine what the decedent may have earned and saved through their lifetime, as well as what their net worth may have been.

How Is the Cost of Pain and Suffering Determined?

It is nearly impossible for an economist to determine how much pain and suffering is worth. Professional grief counselors may be called in to determine the extent of the family’s suffering. Attorneys for both sides will probably call in their own grief counselors to help determine how close the relationship was with the decedent. The closer the relationship was and the more that the survivors depended on the decedent, the more money may be awarded in the end.

What Variables May Change the Settlement Amount?

The insurance coverage as well as the amount of wealth that the defendant has may make a difference in the settlement amount. A business that has a lot of assets may be ordered to pay out more than an individual who may or may not have insurance.

Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney Orange County Today

Our wrongful death attorney Orange can fight for you. Call Russell & Lazarus APC at (949) 851-0222.