Wrongful Death Wrongful Death Damages
The purpose of awarding damages to the family of a wrongful
death victim is to compensate the family for the losses
experienced as a result of the death of that family member. In
Washington state, the statutes restrict the recovery of
damages to what a jury finds fair and just in relation to the
injury that resulted in the decedent's death.
The types of damages recoverable in a Washington state
wrongful death claim include:
- Immediate expenses associated with the death (medical
and funeral expenses). All costs incurred for health
care should be repaid to you including ambulance bills,
hospital bills, and charges for surgical, medical or
rehabilitation care. Depending upon the type of insurance
coverage you or the other party purchased, you may be
entitled to payment of these bills regardless of who
caused the accident.
- Loss of victim's anticipated earnings in the future
until time of retirement or death. The deceased
person's estate is entitled to a sum of money to
compensate for the lost capacity to earn income in the
future.
- Pain and suffering, or mental anguish to the
survivors. The claimant may be entitled to be
compensated in dollars for the pain and suffering caused
by the death of the deceased person.
- Loss of care, protection, companionship to the
survivors. Both the decedent's spouse and children
have a right to recover for the loss of protection, care
and affection, assistance, nurture, companionship, comfort,
guidance, counsel, and advice. These damages are awarded to
the children or spouse of a decedent for the loss of the
decedent's presence in their lives. Evidence concerning
family activities and shared recreation, sports, or travel
may be introduced to prove these damages. The guidance
provided by the decedent in religious, spiritual or
educational matters may also be offered in evidence.
It is important to choose a law firm experienced in
aggressively pursuing wrongful death claims to the maximum
benefit of their clients. At Brett & Coats, PLLC, our
attorneys give proactive attention to the needs of each
family. We offer a free initial consultation in Washington
state wrongful death cases, and we make it our chief priority
to consistently provide you with individual attention
throughout the case's progression.
Many insurance companies know our firm's determination to
litigate cases when a settlement offer is inadequate. As a
result, we are usually able to resolve wrongful death claims
through negotiation. Call the attorneys at Brett & Coats, PLLC today at 360-714-0900, 1-800-925-1875, or
contact us via our online form.
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