When a loved one’s life is cut short because of someone else’s negligence, the law allows surviving family members (usually parents, spouses, and children, although occasionally others) to pursue compensation through a wrongful death claim. No amount of money can undo the loss, but wrongful death claims are meant to provide financial security and hold the responsible party accountable.

Recoverable damages in a wrongful death case can include:

• Funeral and burial expenses

• Loss of financial support: the income, benefits, and services your loved one would have provided

• Medical expenses related to the final illness or injury

• Pain and suffering of the deceased, if applicable, through a survival action

• Loss of companionship, care, and guidance (grief damages): the emotional and relational impact on surviving family members

  
  

It is important to note that Maryland law limits the amount of pain and suffering damages a family can recover in a wrongful death claim. And, all surviving family members must share in the same limit. We will explain this to you in greater detail during your initial consultation.

Washington, D.C. wrongful death law is quite different from Maryland's. Damages in a D.C. wrongful death case are generally limited to economic losses suffered by the surviving family members — things like the value of financial support the loved one was receiving, and the value of household services. It is more difficult in D.C. to recover damages for grief or emotional loss. These differences can make wrongful death cases in D.C. challenging, and it is especially important to have lawyers who know and understand the legal landscape.

We are committed to telling your loved one’s story, proving the full scope of your family’s loss, and fighting for the justice and compensation you deserve.