Wrongful Death of a Child: Minnesota Law Provides Parents an Opportunity to Receive Compensation for Their Loss
The death of a loved one is an absolute loss, irrespective of the age of the decedent. No amount of money will ever make the surviving familiy members whole. Because the legal system often assesses a loss in terms of monetary damages, it takes the age of the decedent into consideration evaluating the value of a wrongful death case.
In the instance of a wrongful death of a child, it can be difficult to seek a financial recovery, as a minor child typically does not contribute any financial income to the family. However, a minor child contributes to well-being and happiness in several other ways. For that reason, and others, parents can claim compensation for the loss of child’s solidarity and affection under Minnesota law.
The law takes a slightly different approach in the case of the wrongful death of an adult child. In such a situation, the parents can recover damages only if the adult child was contributing financially to the parent’s household income or was in some way providing his /her services to them.
Usually the child’s mother or father are eligible to claim a compensation for the wrongful death of a child. Individuals who acted as parents of the child, but were not legally recognized as the child’s parents, cannot recover for the child’s death. Some sort of legal relationship must exist.
The law associated with the wrongful death of an unborn child differ from state to state. While in majority of the states, the claim for a wrongful death of an unborn child depends on whether the fetus was viable or not, there are some states which allow or disallow recovery of damages irrespective of viability. Minnesota law allows the parents of an unborn child to recover damages for wrongful death.
Have you lost a child because of someone's negligence? Speak with a MN wrongful death attorney with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. Our lawyers have many years of experience and will fight to obtain justice for you and your family. You may call (612) 789-2100 or use our online consultation form. Our attorneys free consultations at any of our six Twin Cities metro offices or any other location that is convenient for you. We never charge a fee unless we obtain an award on your behalf.
The wrongful death attorneys with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. are pleased to announce their newest online publication, the Minnesota Wrongful Death Blog. Our trial team, lead by attorney Jason Brown, provide this weblog to post useful, easy-to-understand information on key issues such as:
