Putting a price on your deceased loved one’s household work 

When a loved one dies tragically due to someone else’s negligence or deliberate actions, you may have certain legal rights as a survivor. You may even be able to bring a wrongful death claim against the liable party.

How do wrongful death claims work?

Wrongful death claims offer civil court justice to those grieving. Not only could a judge determine that the other party was responsible for your loss, but they can also award you compensation for the impact of that death on your family. You have the right to claim funeral costs, medical expenses before death and lost future wages. You may also be able to make a claim about the loss of services provided by your spouse.

If you want to make a loss of service or support claim as part of a wrongful death lawsuit, you can seek the financial value of those services. When you consider how much the average person does to take care of their family in their home, the actual value of your loved one’s unpaid work around the house could be tens of thousands of dollars every year.

How do you put a price on unpaid labor?

Perhaps the easiest way to place a fixed financial value on the unpaid services your loved one used to perform is to look at what professionals charge for like services. Figuring out how much it will cost for you to hire professionals to take over those obligations can be a great starting point for the value of your loved one’s unpaid labor. 

Putting a price on those services will help you maximize the claim you bring. Not only will that larger claim give your family more financial resources, but it will also penalize the person who caused your loved one’s death.

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