Families who have recently lost a loved one may have the right to file a lawsuit. State statutes actually allow for two separate types of litigation. People can pursue survival action lawsuits where they seek compensation for the losses experienced by a loved one before their passing, such as their end-of-life medical care costs. They can also seek compensation for their personal losses associated with the premature passing of a family member.
Wrongful death lawsuits allow those affected by a tragedy to hold a business or individual accountable. Provided that negligence or inappropriate conduct led to the death of an individual, the party at fault may have financial responsibility. Families frequently request compensation for the lost support they could have received through a loved one’s wages and workplace benefits.
It is also possible to request compensation for the economic value of their household services. Particularly if the person who died was a stay-at-home parent, accurately calculating the value of their unpaid services can be a critical step in the wrongful death litigation process.
How can people estimate the value of unpaid labor?
Household services have an economic value
Researchers regularly look into the fair market value of unpaid household services. Recently, experts estimated that the average stay-at-home parent or spouse may provide roughly $4,500 worth of free labor for their families every month.
Details including the number of children in the family and the specific services an individual provides their households influence the value of their labor. Families can create lists of the services an individual provided and estimate how many hours each week they dedicated to those tasks.
They can determine what professionals charge to provide those services. It is possible to calculate the lifetime financial impact of losing the unpaid labor of an immediate family member. Services including financial management, schedule oversight, meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, transportation, laundry, housework and childcare can be worth thousands of dollars per month when performed by outside professionals.
Families hoping to seek justice after a tragedy may need support as they attempt to estimate their total losses, and that’s okay. Accurately calculating financial losses can help people request appropriate amounts of compensation when pursuing wrongful death lawsuits.