Looking at Wrongful Death Claims - How to Recover Loss of Child Services
When we lose a loved one, it is a confusing and stressful time. We know that better than anyone. We hope that through our articles we are able to answer some of the questions you might have as you try to wrap your mind around all that needs to happen.
In this article, we're going to take a closer look at loss of child services and how that can play out in court.
What is Loss of Child Services?
Loss of services falls within the realm of pecuniary losses associated with wrongful death claims. Pecuniary losses includes the loss of the decedent's earning capacity, advice, counsel, services, care, maintenance, support, and reasonable contributions of a pecuniary value. Pecuniary losses could also include certain expenses incurred by the plaintiff, such as psychological treatment or funeral expenses.
A parent can recover damages for the loss of the deceased child's services. It's possible to recover losses from the time of the child's death until the child would have reached the age of majority and any contributions that might reasonable have been expected from the child after reaching majority. Expenses considered leading up to the age of majority do not include the cost of the child's care, support, education, and maintenance.
Proving Loss of Child Services
As with any case, you need evidence to prove to the jury that your story is accurate. When it comes to proving up damages, this is no different. Documentation and evidence are needed in order to illustrate to jury members that the services your child provided you created a gap, or loss, in your life. The court only has monetary compensation available as a way of restoring that loss to you.
For example, likely your child helped with chores around the house, maybe they are responsible for driving brothers and sisters to their extracurricular events, or maybe they work part time and contribute to the economy of the household. These are things the jury needs to know, and things you'll need to back up through documentation to give validity to your claim. An experienced attorney will know how to advise you regarding gathering documentation and evidence to support your claims for loss of child services.
How Grossman Law Offices can Help
We have over 25 years of experience with wrongful death claims in the state of Texas. Not only that, we know this area of the law almost better than anyone. We're confident we can put you in the best possible position to be successful with your claim and recover damages from your loss. If you have questions or are interested in talking with an attorney, we are available to you 24/7. Give us a call when it's convenient for you and we'll be happy to help. (855) 326-0000
