When a loved one dies under any circumstances, you’re naturally consumed with sorrow, and your heart is broken. As you grieve, you struggle to come to terms with the surreal, indisputable fact that you’ll never see your loved one again. Any death is sad, but when the unexpected loss is because of another’s negligence, recklessness, carelessness or malicious misconduct and disregard for human life, you likely also yearn for justice. The wrongdoer should be held accountable, and Louisiana’s wrongful death laws governing monetary damages can ensure they are.
Wrongful Death Cases
As you cope with your sorrow, you may feel overwhelmed by the practicalities of paying for a funeral and what you face economically if your loved one provided you and your family with income critical for your survival. Not only do Louisiana’s laws provide for income and other financial losses and expenses if the harming person or entity is found civilly liable for your loved one’s death, but it also may provide compensation for emotional pain and loss of your loved one’s companionship, shared home responsibilities and care of any of the decedent’s minor children. If the wrongdoer demonstrated egregious, wanton disregard for your loved one’s life, they may also be subject to punitive damages.
Compensable damages in a wrongful death claim may include both economic or “special” and non-economic “general” losses.
Special or Actual Economic Damages for Wrongful Death Suits in Louisiana
- Medical expenses including ambulance transportation, hospitalization, physician care and other costs related to the injury or illness.
- Funeral service, burial expenses or cremation costs.
- Wages and remunerative benefits the deceased would have generated.
- Cost of replaced household services.
- Damaged property bills or replacement expenses.
General or Non-Economic Damages for Wrongful Death Case in Louisiana
- For the pain and suffering the deceased person experienced because of the injury or illness.
- Loss of companionship, child-rearing, family guidance and emotional support.
- Bereaved emotional distress and anguish.
Punitive Damages for Wrongful Death Claim in Louisiana
When your loved one’s death is proven to have been caused by egregious malicious, willful, wanton or reckless conduct or gross negligence by another, a Louisiana civil court may also award punitive monetary damages separate from economic and non-economic damages.
Wrongful Death Settlements
Gordon & Gordon’s experienced attorneys will pursue the justice your loved one deserves when you put your financial burdens and concerns in their capable hands. As they pursue your wrongful death settlement, perhaps you’ll have some respite from pragmatic concerns, which may allow you space and time to properly grieve.
Gordon & Gordon is dedicated to protecting the Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield communities when a person is seriously injured or a loved one has died because of another’s negligence and recklessness.
Who’s Entitled To File A Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Under Louisiana law, if you are the spouse, child(ren), parent(s), qualifying domestic partner, dependent step-child(ren) or other qualifying family members of a person who was killed because of the negligence, recklessness or malicious conduct of another, you are entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Though you may think you can put off filing a claim, the more time that passes after a wrongful death, the greater the likelihood that evidence may be lost or destroyed, witness’ memories may fade, and other important factors may be damaged.
Gordon and Gordon, Wrongful Death Litigation Experts in Shreveport, Bossier and Mansfield
While filing a wrongful death lawsuit isn’t foremost on your mind while you’re reeling from your loved one’s death, Gordon & Gordon strongly advises you to act as quickly as possible. The one-year statute of limitations’ deadline in Louisiana for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is strict and inflexible.
To learn more about whether the death of your loved one can be civilly pursued in a wrongful death lawsuit, there’s no need to wait until regular office hours. Call wrongful death attorneys Gordon & Gordon 24/7 at 318-716-HELP. You can also fill out a quick online form to schedule a free consultation!