It goes without saying that money is neither a substitute for a person’s life that has been unfairly cut short, nor is it a perfect balm for the many devastating personal, emotional, and even financial losses that a wrongful death can cause. However, after such a tragedy, civil compensation can help stabilize your family’s personal finances and support you as you move forward with your lives as much as is reasonably possible.
Compensable damages in Channelview wrongful death claims can vary from case to case, depending on your family’s unique needs and on the relationship you had with your deceased loved one. No matter what you need to seek recovery for or how far into the future you need to look during that process, our dedicated wrongful death lawyers will fight tenaciously on your behalf for the payment you deserve in consideration of the harm you shouldn’t have suffered.
Recovering for Economic and Non-Economic Forms of Harm
Compensatory damages—in other words, money to make up for specific losses stemming from a wrongful death—can be divided into two categories based on how their fair financial value can be determined. Economic damages are those with objective financial values that can be established through quantitative evidence, such as bills and receipts, whereas non-economic damages are subjective in nature and must be valued through qualitative evidence, such as personal testimony. Civil judges often also consider past verdicts on similar cases when deciding how much money to award for non-economic damages.
Between these two categories, you may be able to seek compensation in a Channelview negligent death lawsuit for several factors, including:
- Lost financial support the decedent would have provided to you in the future
- Lost future value of inheritance and/or savings
- Loss of assistance with household tasks
- Lost love, comfort, companionship, and guidance
- Emotional anguish
During a private initial meeting, a seasoned legal professional can offer guidance about the considerations you should make when constructing your unique claim.
Are Punitive Damages Available in Wrongful Death Cases?
In limited circumstances, civil courts in Texas can impose punitive damages —also known as exemplary damages—against a defendant in addition to making them pay for compensatory damages, such as the ones listed above. Just as compensatory damages are meant to compensate plaintiffs for specific losses, punitive damages are intended to punish defendants for their misconduct, and they can be assessed completely separately from any action taken against that same defendant in criminal court over the same incident.
In Channelview unlawful death lawsuits, as per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 71.009, courts can impose exemplary damages against defendants who have caused someone else’s premature death through extremely egregious negligence or through a “willful act or omission.” Notably, these damages are capped at either $200,000 or at twice the value of economic damages up to a hard maximum of $750,000, whichever is greater under the circumstances.
Schedule a Consultation With a Channelview Attorney To Maximize Wrongful Death Lawsuit Compensation Today
The amount of money you receive for your losses will be the primary factor in determining how successful your wrongful death claim is. Unfortunately, it can be hard to know what you can seek as damages in Channelview wrongful death claims in the first place—let alone how to effectively obtain compensation for them—without support from experienced legal counsel.
Our wrongful death lawyers understand what you’re going through and will do all they can to ensure you get the most money possible from your lawsuit or settlement demand. Learn more by calling today.
Call or text (832) 346-9585 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
