Who Is Entitled To Damages After A Wrongful Death In Florida?
Brian O Sutter
Wrongful Death
After a loved one passes away in an accident in Florida, the last thing the family is thinking about is a settlement – until the medical bills, funeral costs, and other expenses begin rolling in. Having a family member involved in a wrongful death accident is always a difficult experience, but a wrongful death lawyer in Florida can help to take a significant amount of stress out of the experience. The Florida Wrongful Death Act allows loved ones to pursue a lawsuit for financial compensation should a family member succumb to injuries due to another party’s negligence. This compensation can cover medical costs, funeral expenses, lost future earnings, loss of support, pain and suffering, and more. Your wrongful death attorney can walk you through the process of determining what damages you may be entitled to, how you can collect those damages, and how you can move forward in your own healing journey.
Who Can Pursue A Wrongful Death Lawsuit And What Damages May Be Collected
There are several family members that may collect damages in a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida. These include:
• Parents of an adult child in an accident – Parents who have lost an adult child in a wrongful death case may collect a settlement if other qualified survivors do not exist, like a spouse or a child. This may include medical expenses, funeral costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
• Adult children who have lost a parent – Adult children who have lost a parent in a wrongful death accident may pursue a lawsuit for final expenses, lost support, lost mentorship or companionship, mental pain and suffering, lost instruction.
• Parents of minor children in a wrongful death accident – Parents of minor children lost in a wrongful death accident may pursue the same damages as those who have lost adult children with the exception of lost work wages.
• Minor children who have lost parents – Minor children who have lost a parent in a wrongful death accident can collect the same damages as adult children, but to a greater extent due to the dependence minor children have on their parents.
• Siblings – If a person with no children, parents, or spouse has been involved in a wrongful death accident in the state of Florida, their siblings may pursue a lawsuit on their behalf. Siblings may be entitled to lost work wages, funeral costs, medical costs, and pain and suffering damages.
• Loss of a spouse – Those who have lost their spouse in an accident due to another party’s negligence may collect lost support, lost services, funeral and final expense damages, medical costs, mental pain and suffering, loss of protection damages, and loss of companionship compensation.
What To Do When A Loved One Is Involved In A Wrongful Death
When a loved one is involved in an accident due to another party’s negligence, and that accident results in a wrongful death, it may feel like the world is collapsing around you. This can make it extremely difficult to navigate your next steps on your own. A wrongful death attorney can help you to take the steps necessary to get the compensation you deserve in the state of Florida.
When seeking out a wrongful death attorney, it’s important to go with a skilled and knowledgeable professional. They’ll be able to walk you through your case and give you your best chance at maximizing your settlement. If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident in Florida, contact us at AllInjuriesLawFirm.com to learn more about how we can help today.