Learning that your loved one died because of a tragic accident is the first event in a long string of events that greatly affect those who are left behind. One thing that people who are left behind have to deal with is final expenses. These expenses can be considerable, especially if the death was unexpected.
Think about this — the median cost for a funeral with the viewing and burial was $7,181 in 2014, which is the most up-to-date information available. That is a 28.6 percent increase from 2004. If a vault is needed, that increased the cost by a median of $1,327 in 2014. The median cost goes down slightly if there is a funeral with viewing and cremation instead of burial. In 2014, the median cost for this was $6,078.
The cost of a funeral with burial is something that many people aren’t prepared to cover, especially if the person didn’t have life insurance. That is one of the reasons why people who lost a loved one in a fatal accident might decide to seek compensation.
Compensation serves several purposes in a wrongful death case. It can hold the person who caused your loved one’s death accountable for the actions that led to the accident. The compensation can help you to cover your loved one’s final expenses and other damages caused by the accident. If you plan on seeking compensation, make sure that you do so in a timely manner. You should also make sure that you have a plan of action so that you can do what is necessary to seek compensation.
Source: National Funeral Directors Association, “Statistics,” accessed March 25, 2016
