Santa Barbara Wrongful Death Attorneys

Unexpectedly losing a family member is one of life’s worst experiences. When death is caused by negligence or through liability, surviving family members have the right to pursue a lawsuit based on California wrongful death and survival statutes. Our wrongful death lawyers in Santa Barbara at Maho & Prentice can explain your rights under the law and help you decide whether to pursue a claim.

California wrongful death law

According to California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) 3921, in a wrongful death lawsuit where a family loses an adult, the claimant may receive two types of damages—economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages

Economic damages that a surviving family member would expect to receive include:

• Financial support (expected support based on the deceased's life expectancy or the plaintiff's life expectancy, whichever is shorter)
• Loss of gifts or benefits
• Funeral and burial expenses
• Monetary amount of household services

Non-economic damages

Non-economic damages include compensation for:

• Plaintiff's grief, sorrow, and mental anguish
• Pain and suffering of the deceased

Other factors such as the deceased person's health, habits, lifestyle, and occupation are also taken into account when arriving at compensation amounts. The court does not demand exact figures, but estimates must be reasonable and not based on speculation.

Incidents involving wrongful death

Many different types of situations can result in fatality and a Santa Barbara wrongful death attorney can evaluate whether negligence or liability was involved. Types of wrongful death claims often arise as a result of:

A wrongful death claim can help re-establish financial security when a key family provider dies. It also acts as a safeguard to protect other families from a similar tragedy by holding negligent or liable parties accountable.

Contact our Santa Barbara wrongful death law firm today

Arrange a free consultation to discuss whether you have a wrongful death case. We provide a no charge case evaluation, and you owe no fees unless we recover through settlement or verdict. Call 805.618.1367 today or contact Maho & Prentice online.

Weekend and evening consultations are available.

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