07/24/2023
Daños por Muerte Injusto
A successful wrongful death case means that beneficiaries of the decedent’s estate will receive damages awarded for the death of their loved one. There are three different types of damages that a jury can award a plaintiff in a wrongful death lawsuit: economic, non-economic, and punitive.
Daños Económicos
Los daños económicos incluyen el valor de las contribuciones financieras de la víctima a su familia si no hubiera fallecido. Estos daños incluyen todo lo siguiente:
- Gastos médicos relacionados con el fallecimiento;
- Los gastos de funeral y entierro de la víctima;
- An award for the loss of the victim’s expected earnings;
- Cualquier beneficio que se pierda, como planes de pensiones y cobertura médica;
- La pérdida de la herencia de la víctima a causa de la muerte por negligencia; y
- El valor de los bienes y servicios que habría proporcionado el ser querido fallecido.
Non-economic Damages
Aunque estos daños son más difíciles de definir, los daños no económicos también son parte de un reclamo por muerte por negligencia. Algunos ejemplos de indemnizaciones por daños y perjuicios no económicos incluyen los siguientes:
- The survivors’ grief and emotional injury, which is known as mental anguish, pain, and suffering;
- La pérdida del cuidado, orientación, apoyo y paternidad que habría brindado el fallecido; y
- The loss of the deceased’s love and companionship;
Daños Punitivos
Punitive damages include awards that are intended to punish or deter the defendant for particularly egregious, malicious, or severe conduct. A punitive damage award in the state of North Carolina is capped at the greater of three times compensatory damages or $250,000.
What happens if there are no actual damages?
If a court determines that there are no actual damages, North Carolina’s Wrongful Death Act states that a jury may award nominal damages. Courts in our state have held that nominal damages must be awarded in the event that the jury finds that a plaintiff in a wrongful death claim suffered no compensable loss. This is a rare occurrence, and the other categories of damages would still be available.
Factors Involved in Determining Damages
It’s important to note that when juries and judges decide on an appropriate damages award, they are able to take into account things like the victim’s age, character, health, future earning capacity and life expectancy in addition to the situation of the recipients of the award.
The calculation of damages is very complex in many wrongful death cases. Expert witnesses are typically called upon to give their opinions as to the proper amount of damages for a wrongful death victim. In light of this, it’s best to discuss any questions about a potential wrongful death action and damages with an experienced attorney at the Deuterman Law Group.
