Without attempting to detail every aspect of compensation that the victim's heirs or relatives would be entitled to recover in any given case, here is a brief summary of the essentials:
Before death, the law recognizes that the victim of a fatal accident may sustain the same kinds of damages as a victim who survives an accident, and that the victim's ultimate loss of life should not prevent the recovery of compensation for those "survival" damages by the victim's lawful heirs. In appropriate cases, these damage claims can include the victim's conscious pain and suffering, disability or impairment, lost earning capacity, and out of pocket expenses.
After death, the law recognizes that it is the victim's dependents and relatives who have suffered the loss of the victim's future contributions to their well-being in the form of future income, services and valuable advice.
Thus, in every case, it is the victim's heirs and/or relatives who hold the right to pursue these various kinds of claims in a Court
of law, often with the aid on an economic expert to measure all of the financial losses....
