After losing a loved one suddenly in a wrongful death, your life is turned upside down. Soon after the death, there’s a flurry of funeral arrangements and visitors, and over time you’re left to grieve the loss of your loved one. Few people think about money right away after a family member passes, however, it’s not long before financial issues begin to creep up.
Funeral Expenses
Over the years, funerals have become more and more costly as more options are made available for grieving families to memorialize their loved one at a service. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the average funeral cost with burial and vault in 2015 was just over $8,500, up 29.3% from 2004. Many families who lost a loved one unexpectedly in an accident are not prepared to pay for a funeral and if the deceased did not have life insurance, families may be left in a financial bind.
Lost Wages
If the deceased was a primary wage earner, this can cause another financial strain on survivors, especially if there are survivors who were considered dependent on the deceased, such as a spouse or children. When considering lost wages, it’s important to look well into the future at what the loved one would have been able to provide financially over time had they not passed.
Medical Expenses
In many cases of wrongful death, there are medical expenses. If, for example, a loved one died in a car accident, they were likely transported to the hospital and cared for in some capacity before their death. In medical malpractice cases, there may be a great deal of medical bills associated with the care the deceased received before dying. Many families are shocked and upset when hospital bills come in the mail for tens of thousands of dollars for a family member who is no longer with them.
Emotional Suffering
Losing a loved one is extraordinarily difficult, and it is to be expected that the surviving family members need support during this time. Many families require counseling and other types of support to help them cope with the loss, which depending on individual needs, can end up being quite costly.
Obtaining Financial Compensation from a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
One way to obtain compensation after a loved one’s untimely death is through the pursuance of a wrongful death claim. Not only will a claim potentially relieve the financial burdens a family faces after the sudden death of a loved one, it can hold the person(s) or entity(s) responsible for their death accountable for their actions.
At Mazow | McCullough, P.C., we understand how challenging it can be to deal with the many repercussions of a loved one’s wrongful death. Our commitment to our clients is to help them pursue fair compensation for the costs they’ve incurred, as well as justice for their loved one’s death. Contact us today for a consultation by calling (855) 693-9084.
