It’s not possible to put a dollar value on the unexpected and tragic death of a loved one. That said, the state of Indiana affords those parties who survive a loved one’s wrongful death the right to pursue compensation for their loved one’s passing. You can specifically demand that a liable party help pay for the expenses related to the accident they caused.
Is there an average settlement for wrongful death lawsuits in Indiana? No. If you want to estimate the value of a wrongful death case before going to court, you need to establish the dollar value of relevant losses alongside an Indiana personal injury lawyer. Our team can provide you with an estimate of your possible compensation before moving your case forward.
Is There an Average Settlement for Indiana’s Wrongful Death Cases?
Most families want to have a general idea of what compensation they may receive from a wrongful death case. Unfortunately, there’s no set amount you can earn from the pursuit of a personal injury lawsuit. While you can look to previous cases for an idea of what damages other parties have won, your case has its own inherent value.
Your Right to Damages After a Loved One’s Wrongful Death
Which damages can you specifically request in the face of a loved one’s untimely death? You have the right, under certain circumstances, to demand compensation for a loved one’s economic and non-economic losses, not to mention some losses of your own.
Most civil courts in Indiana may allow you to recuperate:
- A loved one’s emergency care
- A loved one’s long-term, accident-related medical expenses
- The cost of damage done to a loved one’s property
- A loved one’s lost wages
- Burial expenses
You may additionally have the right to request compensation for the following losses:
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of future support
- Decedent’s pain and suffering
- Loss of services
- Cost of state administration
- Cost of reasonable grief counseling
- Attorney’s fees, if applicable
You can work with Indiana’s wrongful death lawyers to determine which of these losses you qualify for and what evidence can help establish your right to applicable support.
Indiana Only Allows Certain Parties to File Wrongful Death Claims
Indiana only allows a deceased individual’s personal executor to pursue compensation on the deceased’s behalf. If you do not hold this position, you can still bring your questions about the pursuit of a wrongful death claim to an Indiana attorney. You can also encourage the personal executor to take legal action on the deceased’s behalf.
Should You Pursue Wrongful Death Damages?
Many families find themselves reluctant to encourage the pursuit of legal action in the wake of a loved one’s death. Families that want to grieve or put the trauma of a loved one’s passing behind them may find a legal investigation invasive or re-traumatizing. That said, pursuing a wrongful death claim and subsequent damages can also be a healing process.
This pursuit can specifically help you and your family secure damages for a loved one’s death. Those damages can help you pay a loved one’s post-mortem bills. You may even have the right to use wrongful death compensation to get your own finances back on track in the wake of a loved one’s post-mortem expenses.
If you’re unsure whether you want a loved one’s personal executor to open a wrongful death claim, you can bring your concerns to Vaughan & Vaughan’s attorneys. Our team can elaborate on our services and prepare you for the legal process should the personal executor (be that you or someone else) move your case forward.
Do You Need to Work With an Attorney?
You are not legally obligated to work with an Indiana wrongful death attorney if you want to pursue compensation for your losses. Doing so, however, can make the legal process less stressful. An attorney can also keep you on top of a case’s statute of limitations. Our services can protect your right to legal action while also giving you the time and space you need to grieve.
Do You Need to Initiate Criminal Proceeding Against a Liable Party?
The behavior that resulted in your loved one’s passing may constitute criminal misconduct in the eyes of Indiana’s courts. Unfortunately, you do not have the right to initiate criminal proceedings against the offending party. That responsibility falls to the state’s representatives.
If the state initiates a criminal case against the offending party, criminal prosecutors may call on you to provide testimony regarding the nature of your loved one’s passing. These parties can prepare you for that process accordingly.
Note that you can stay on top of a liable party’s criminal proceedings in the wake of a loved one’s passing. If a criminal court determines that the liable party is guilty of criminal misconduct, that conviction can benefit your civil case. Many civil judges consider a criminal conviction to serve as proof of negligence in a wrongful death case.
You can discuss the overlap between criminal proceedings and a wrongful death case with our attorneys should the opportunity to do so arise.
Talk to Vaughan & Vaughan About a Wrongful Death Case Today
No amount of money or legal action can replace the person you lost in a wrongful death accident. Even so, Vaughan & Vaughan wants to give you a chance to settle your related accounts and demand justice in the face of another party’s negligence. That’s why our personal injury lawyers in Indiana can fight for your right to a fair wrongful death settlement in civil court.
If you want to learn more about the services we offer the families and loved ones of someone killed in a wrongful death accident, you can contact our team. Let’s get your free, no-obligation case consultation on the books today.
