Wrongful Death Attorneys for Children and the Elderly | Romanucci & Blandin

In wrongful death lawsuits, damages are generally determined by the future earnings and care for a family. In wrongful death cases involving children and elderly decedents, those areas are very difficult to calculate. The emotional devastation of losing a child or elder is significant, but the law does not see a big financial impact. RB Law has the experienced wrongful death attorneys who will help you get the most compensation possible for the loss of your child or elderly family member.

Death of a Child Damages

When a child passes away, parents are not able to sue for loss of support or guidance, as when a parent dies. However, parents can sue for a child’s lost future earnings, but it can be very challenging to determine what the child’s earning potential would be. If the child was earning an income prior to their death, that amount will be used as a base for their future earnings. In addition, consideration will be given to:

• The age of the child
• Gender
• Health
• Life expectancy/work expectancy
• Parent’s loss of affection and companionship
• Age, circumstance of health of the parents

Damages in the Death of an Elderly Person

There are very similar challenges to determining the damages for elderly decedents as there are for children. In a lot of cases, the decedent has retired, so they have a low earnings potential. Spouses of the survivor generally can get more damages than any surviving children because the children are typically already supporting themselves and no longer need the guidance of their parent. Spouses however, are usually reliant on the decedent so they may be able to sue for loss of support.

Contact the Chicago Wrongful Death lawyers at Romanucci & Blandin for a free consultation if you or a family member has been involved in a wrongful death claim. Call (312) 458-1000 or email us at info@rblaw.net 24 hours a day 7 days a week.