When a loved one tragically passes, those left behind often struggle to make sense of their loss. It is a profound emotional challenge to try and move on after the unexpected death of someone you love. Grief makes it hard for you to take care of yourself and those that depend upon you.
In Indiana, those affected by the death of a loved one can sometimes take civil action against the party that negligently caused their loved one’s death. A wrongful death lawsuit brought by the representative of someone’s estate could help surviving family members recover financial losses suffered because of the wrongful acts or negligence of the responsible party.
Both businesses and individuals can be impacted by wrongful death suits under Indiana law. Legally, a wrongful death occurs when a person dies because of the misconduct, neglect, or negligence of another party.
The costs associated with the death
When someone dies, there will usually be several large bills associated with their passing. Often, people require medical care before they succumb to an injury or illness. In addition, they might leave their family members with tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills and other outstanding debts that need to be settled.
Depending upon the status of the person(s) who lost a loved one, the following damages may be recoverable by the Estate of the deceased person for the benefit of their surviving family members:
- Reasonable medical and hospital expenses
- Reasonable burial expenses
- Earnings of the decedent and value of future support
- Decedent’s pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
- Grief of survivors
- Loss of love, care, and affection
- Loss of child’s love and affection
- Loss of services
- Loss of love and companionship
- Loss of parental guidance of children
- Reasonable cost of counseling incurred by surviving parent, sibling, or child
- Child’s uninsured debts
- Costs of administering the Estate
- Reasonable attorneys fees for bringing the wrongful death lawsuit
Future losses your family will suffer
The bills your family accumulated because of the loss of a beloved family member are far from the only costs. You will lose out on a lifetime of your loved one’s income. That includes increases in income in the future due to career advancement and benefits they could have supplied to the family if they had survived.
A lawsuit against the party responsible for a loved one’s death will not bring them back, but pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party can provide crucial and valuable financial compensation to your family.
The statute of limitations (or deadline) to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Indiana is 2 years from the date of death.
The law is designed to protect persons that have lost a loved one due to the wrongful acts of another to provide financial compensation to surviving family members to help ensure a secure future.
Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney
If you have a loved one who passed as the result of someone’s wrongful act, please contact the attorneys at Ruckelshaus Kautzman Blackwell Bemis & Duncan, LLP
. The attorneys at RKB will help you and your family put the pieces of your life back together.
