COMPENSABLE DAMAGES FOR A FATAL ACCIDENT IN TAMPA
A wrongful death lawsuit does not put a value on a person’s life. Rather, it puts a value on what the surviving family members have lost and how their lives are affected without that person. Compensable damages for a fatal accident in Tampa can provide needed financial support to grieving families.
If the negligence of another person or a corporate entity led to your loved one’s death, the experienced trial attorneys of Feldman Legal Group. will fight for rightful compensation through a wrongful death action. We seek sufficient monetary damages for the financial burdens created by the death, maximum damages for the emotional loss and punitive damages, if applicable.
Under Florida law, survivors can seek the following damages for a wrongful death:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering of the deceased prior to death
- Lost projected earnings based on occupation and life expectancy
- Loss of companionship, consortium, services and support
Punitive damages may apply if the death resulted from grossly indifferent actions, such as those of a driver so drunk he could barely walk.
Only family members or the appointed representative of the person’s estate may file a wrongful death lawsuit. In a medical malpractice death, Florida law dictates that the beneficiaries may only be the spouse or dependent children.
PLACING A VALUE ON WHAT WAS LOST
We can calculate the income your loved one likely would have earned, but how do you measure loss of companionship and services? Our role is to demonstrate the closeness of the relationship and how the person’s absence will affect our client(s) in tangible ways. Was he or she an active and doting parent? Did the spouses do everything together? What contributions did the person make around the house? Was the deceased a pillar of the family or the community?
As a former insurance defense lawyer who handled many fatal accident cases, Tampa wrongful death lawyer Feldman Legal Group. has a good feel for where the insurance company will draw the line. He also studies reported settlements and jury awards for similar deaths in surrounding counties and statewide to arrive at a fair and reasonable figure. As a veteran trial lawyer, he is prepared to go court, if necessary, to keep insurers honest and hold the liable parties to justice.
Call 877-946-8293 or contact us online to arrange a free initial assessment and learn about the compensable damages you may be able to pursue after a fatal accident in Tampa. Our wrongful death attorneys can meet clients at offices in Tampa and Atlanta, and we will also travel throughout Florida or Georgia to meet with survivors at their home or another convenient place.