Someone’s unexpected passing results in many consequences for their loved ones. Those grieving a recent tragedy in Louisiana may sometimes decide to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. They can ask the civil courts for justice for the loss they have experienced.
In scenarios in which a business or individual causes someone’s death through negligence or inappropriate behavior, the closest family members of the deceased party can sometimes take legal action. A wrongful death lawsuit gives affected family members an opportunity to request compensation for the financial implications of their family tragedy.
The focus in such cases is typically on the financial impact the death has on those who survived the deceased. The loss of someone’s future wages can contribute toward the value of a wrongful death lawsuit. Families can also make requests for compensation based on the household work that someone previously performed.
Work around the home has a financial value
Although people do not receive pay for the work they perform in their own homes, that work has economic value. Perhaps there are young children in the family, and the individual who passed was their primary caregiver. The cost of replacing their childcare services could add up to thousands of dollars each month.
Maybe the person who died typically handled lawn maintenance or did the cooking and grocery shopping for the family. There are professional services available that perform all types of household functions. Families can determine what the current market rate is for the type of services provided by their loved one and then estimate what it may cost to replace those services with professional help.
Researchers estimate that the work performed by a full-time stay-at-home parent is worth over $178,000 annually. Even if someone only does part-time work around the home, families may need to consider the value of those services not just for one year but for the rest of their lives.
Although it can sometimes feel crass to place an economic value on the work someone performed around the house, doing so is often necessary for families to obtain justice after a tragedy.