Emotional and psychological traumas aren’t the only negative effects of a wrongful death. When the death is a parent or breadwinner, the financial devastation to the family can be tremendous. if the death was of a stay-at-home parent, the surviving parent may have to hire help in order to still provide care for his or her family, something very few can afford. While balancing these new responsibilities, the family must also find a way to pay off medical bills, funeral expenses and other costs arising from the death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 120,000 people die annually as a result of unintentional injuries, leaving the surviving family emotionally and financially devastated.

Families who’ve been affected by wrongful death due to defective products, fire, truck or bus drivers, unsafe buildings, medical negligence or other preventable situations may be entitled to receive reimbursement for damages brought on by funeral expenses, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. Additionally, depending on the circumstances, a victim’s family may be able to send a message to the entity responsible through the collection of punitive damages.