Baton Rouge Wrongful Death Lawyers 

None of us want to think about dealing with the death of a loved one. When there’s a belief that the death could have been avoided, it can become even more difficult. Nothing can truly make up for the loss of someone close to us, but the state of Louisiana does offer a civil remedy to those who suffered loss due to the negligence or criminal acts of someone else. Our Baton Rouge wrongful death lawyers can advise you on your options and help you build your case. 

With over 100 years of combined experience among our legal team, Beall & Thies knows how to negotiate a fair wrongful death settlement and we know how to litigate in front of a jury if necessary. Call today at (225) 577-6223 or contact us online for a free consultation.

What Is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit? 

An easy way to understand this is think of a wrongful death lawsuit as a personal injury case, only with the plaintiff being the victim’s family or estate, rather than the victim themselves. 

It’s also important to distinguish the legal action a Baton Rouge wrongful death attorney can take from those which law enforcement can do. When a person dies as the result of a criminal act—be it a direct murder case, to being in the wrong place at the wrong time—a lawyer can not bring criminal charges against the perpetrator. That is a decision left for the District Attorney. Issues of guilt, innocence and jail time will be settled by the criminal courts. 

A wrongful death lawsuit is filed in the civil courts and has financial compensation for losses as its remedy. Therefore, claims on wrongful death can cover everything from criminal acts to car accidents or anything else in the personal injury sphere. 

What Damages Can Be Collected in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

The damages start the same place they would with other personal injury cases and those are the concrete financial costs incurred by the victim’s family. Was medical treatment done prior to the person’s death? If so, the costs of that care ought to be included in the settlement. Funeral costs are another easy figure to calculate and incorporate into the final amount. 

Then we have to start projecting the income that will be lost in the future. Experienced Baton Rouge wrongful death lawyers, like those at Beall & Thies, are able to think outside of the box and understand all the ways the deceased person will no longer be able to contribute to their family. 

We can start with their current job, what their income is, how many years they have until retirement and factor in cost-of-living increases. But that’s just the baseline. Did the deceased have reasonable prospects of seeing their earning potential increase? This can involve anything from going back to school, starting a business, or simply working in a field where promotion was likely. 

It’s not enough though, to simply assert that the deceased was likely to increase their earning potential. It needs to be demonstrated in a court of law, or to an insurance company in negotiations, with evidence. Possible sources of testimony might be current supervisors, partners, or subject matter experts in the field the deceased worked in. By diligent collection of evidence, our lawyers can paint a portrait of what has been lost and make it possible for the jury to reach a fair settlement figure. 

The settlement should rightfully include some attempt to compensate the family for their intangible losses. Just because we can’t put a dollar value on things like the wisdom and guidance of a beloved parent, or the care and companionship that comes from a spouse, doesn’t mean juries can’t offer some level of compensation. Testimony from family and friends about the impact the deceased had on their lives can be invaluable in helping a jury reach an appropriate settlement figure. 

Reach out Beall & Thies today, either at (225) 577-6223 or by filling out our online contact form, and set up a consultation to discuss your wrongful death case.