Drunk driving takes the lives of over 10,000 Americans each year. If your loved one was killed in a car accident involving a driver under the influence of alcohol, you may be interested in learning about your legal options. While no legal remedy can ever truly make up for your tragic loss, a wrongful death claim may enable you to recover compensation for the financial harm caused by your loved one’s death.
Compensation in a Wrongful Death Claim
Drunk drivers who cause fatal auto accidents can face significant criminal consequences. Surviving loved ones of those killed in drunk driving accidents also have the option of bringing a civil claim against the drunk driver. Through a wrongful death claim, you may be able to receive financial compensation for:
- The loss of your loved one’s financial support
- The loss of your loved one’s household services, including homemaking and caring for children
- The medical bills incurred between your loved one’s accident and his or her death
- The loss of your loved one’s companionship
- The loss of parental guidance experienced by minor children of the deceased person
- Mental suffering and grief experienced by surviving family members
- Funeral and burial expenses
Wrongful death claims involving fatal drunk driving accidents may also include an award of punitive damages. Unlike damages intended to compensate a victim’s family for financial losses, punitive damages are intended to penalize the drunk driver for his or her actions.
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