Most of us plane for our financial future. We plane for our children’s education. We plan for the time when we will retire with our spouse. We may even plan for the eventual death of one spouse. None of us ever plan to lose a spouse during the prime earning years. None of us factor in what will happen if we suddenly lose the income or household support of one spouse. Unfortunately, the early and unexpected death of a spouse is something that some of us may have to deal with at some point in our life. If the death of your spouse came about through someone else’s negligence, then you may be eligible to file as a claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit.
After the untimely death of a spouse, most people experience grief, anger, depression, denial and sometimes a sense of hopelessness. Whether your spouse was the primary breadwinner in the house or stayed at home and took care of the house and children, they were undoubtedly an integral part of your family. Trying to plan for the future without them may seem impossible. While the emotions you are feeling are normal, at some point you will need to think about the future – for your sake and for the sake of your family.
If the death of your spouse was do to the negligence of someone else, then you may want to consider a wrongful death lawsuit. Examples of negligent deaths include drunk driving accidents, medical malpractice deaths and airplane accidents. This is not an exclusive list; there are many other situations that may qualify as a wrongful death. As a claimant in a wrongful death lawsuit, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the death of your spouse. Of course, nothing can bring your spouse back, but the compensation you may be entitled to through a wrongful death lawsuit may go a long way in securing the financial future of you and your family. Compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit is computed by a complex formula that includes factors such as: earning capacity of the decedent at time of death; education level and future earning potential of the decedent; contribution to household support; loss of affection; loss of consortium; and many others. The idea behind a wrongful death lawsuit is to attempt to put you back in the same financial situation that you were in before the death of your spouse.
Many people do not want to think about lawyers, courts and lawsuits after the death of a spouse. While this is certainly understandable, the financial future of your family is a crucial concern at this point in your life and time may be a critical factor. Most wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years of the death. In some situations, the time frame to file is ever shorter – as short as six months. For this reason, if you believe that your spouse’s death may have been the result of someone’s negligence, it is important that you consult with an experienced California wrongful death attorney as soon as possible.
If you would like a confidential detailed evaluation of your case – at no cost to you – from California wrongful death attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates, please contact him at 1-800-300-0001 or visit his website at www.ledgerlaw.com
