In itself, the passing of a loved one is a tragic event that can turn the lives of those close to him or her upside. The grief that comes with such a loss can be overwhelming under any circumstances, but is especially difficult to deal with when the unexpected death was caused by the bad behavior or bad decisions of another person, a private company, or a public entity and its employees, and could have been prevented.

Under California law, surviving family members, or wrongful death claimants, have a right to compensation in the form of both economic damages (also known as special damages) and non-economic damages (also known as general damages).  Claims for economic damages can include the financial support that the decedent would have contributed to his or her family, the loss of gifts or benefits that the claimants would have expected to receive from the decedent, funeral and burial expenses, and the reasonable value of household services that the decedent would have provided.  Claims for non-economic damages can include the loss of the decedent’s love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, protection, affection, society, moral support, guidance, and training.  While no amount of money can replace or bring back a loved one, such compensation can help ease some of the financial burdens faced by surviving family members. 

Amongst the most challenging cases in the practice of law, wrongful death claims require a high degree of empathy and integrity, and are not for any run-of-the-mill personal injury attorney.  The experienced wrongful death attorneys at BERJIS | MYERS, PLC, are qualified and fit to represent you.