[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","datePublished":"2023-06-01","about":"Wrongful Death","wordCount":619,"dateModified":"2025-02-13","url":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/what-types-of-damages-can-you-recover-in-a-wrongful-death-case\/","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/what-types-of-damages-can-you-recover-in-a-wrongful-death-case\/","name":"What Types of Damages Can You Recover in a Wrongful Death Case?","headline":"What Types of Damages Can You Recover in a Wrongful Death Case?","articleBody":"A wrongful death case allows survivors to seek compensation if a family member dies because of someone else\u2019s negligent or reckless actions. Although money cannot make up for a loved one\u2019s tragic death, it can assist survivors who face expenses related to their loved one\u2019s passing.\u00a0If you are considering filing a wrongful death claim after a family member\u2019s untimely death, you might wonder what damages you can recover. Keep reading to learn more about wrongful death in California, what compensation is recoverable, and how a wrongful death attorney can help.\u00a0Do you need a nearby Wrongful Death Attorney? Visit our office in Sacramento:What is Wrongful Death in California?In California, a wrongful death occurs when a person dies due to another party\u2019s legal fault. Wrongful death claims arise from many of the same circumstances that would lead to a personal injury claim if the deceased survived their injury(s), such as motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall incidents, defective product accidents, or physical assault.\u00a0A wrongful death claim does not require the at-fault party to have committed a crime. Instead, a party may be liable for wrongful death solely due to negligence.What Damages Are Recoverable in a Wrongful Death Claim?\u00a0In a wrongful death case, claimants may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages. \u00a0 Economic damages include:Loss of financial support the decedent would have contributed to their family had they survivedLoss of gifts or benefits expected from the decedentThe reasonable value of household services provided by the decedentFuneral and burial expenses\u00a0Non-economic damages represent the personal loss that surviving family members experience due to a loved one\u2019s death. Recoverable non-economic damages include:Loss of the decedent\u2019s love, companionship, comfort, care, assistance, affection, protection, society, and moral supportLoss of the decedent\u2019s advice and guidanceLoss of sexual relations with the decedent (recoverable by the decedent\u2019s surviving spouse)Who Can Receive Compensation From a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?Various surviving family members may have the right to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit. Under California law, a decedent\u2019s surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, descendants of deceased children, or anyone entitled to the decedent\u2019s property by intestate succession may receive compensation from a wrongful death lawsuit. A personal representative may also file a wrongful death claim for any of these parties.\u00a0If the decedent\u2019s parents would be entitled to bring a wrongful death claim but are deceased, the decedent\u2019s legal guardian(s) may file a claim. Additional parties may bring a wrongful death action if they were dependent on the decedent, including:\u00a0\u00a0The decedent\u2019s \u201cputative\u201d spouse (someone who had good faith, reasonable belief that they had a lawful marriage to the decedent but, in reality, did not have a valid marriage)Children of the putative spouseThe decedent\u2019s stepchildrenThe decedent\u2019s legal guardian(s) if the decedent\u2019s natural parents have diedIn California, family members have two years from the date of the victim\u2019s passing to file a wrongful death claim. Certain exceptions may lengthen or shorten the limitations period. The deadline for wrongful death claims against a government entity is shortened to six months. Consult with a wrongful death attorney immediately to learn the time limit that applies in your case.\u00a0Get Help From our Wrongful Death LawyersIf your family has lost a loved one due to someone else\u2019s negligence, seeking justice and accountability for their death can offset financial hardships and provide a measure of closure as you move forward. At Demas Law Group, we want to help. Call or contact us today for a free consultation with a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer.\u00a0\u00a0","description":"A wrongful death case allows survivors to seek compensation if a family member dies because of someone else\u2019s negligent or reckless actions. Although money cannot make up for a loved one\u2019s tragic death, it can assist survivors who face expenses related to their loved one\u2019s passing.\u00a0 If you are considering filing a wrongful death claim after a family member\u2019s untimely death, you might wonder what damages you can recover. Keep reading to learn more about wrongful death in California, what compensation is recoverable, and how a wrongful death attorney can help.\u00a0 Do you need a nearby Wrongful Death Attorney? Visit [\u2026]","author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0565ac377dd05e1f07767f98d22eb3e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96,"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0565ac377dd05e1f07767f98d22eb3e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"url":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/author\/injury-attorneys\/","name":"Demas Law Group, P.C.","identifier":7,"@id":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/author\/injury-attorneys\/#Person"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/demas-logo.png","height":141,"width":158,"@id":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/demas-logo.png"},"name":"Demas Law Group, P.C.","@id":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/what-types-of-damages-can-you-recover-in-a-wrongful-death-case\/#Organization1"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/wrongful-death.png","height":334,"width":500,"@id":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/wrongful-death.png"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/what-types-of-damages-can-you-recover-in-a-wrongful-death-case\/#BlogPosting"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Types of Damages Can You Recover in a Wrongful Death Case?","item":"https:\/\/www.injury-attorneys.com\/blog\/what-types-of-damages-can-you-recover-in-a-wrongful-death-case\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]