Wrongful Death Calculator — Estimate Damages in California & Guam
Estimate the damages your family can recover in a wrongful death claim under California or Guam law. Wrongful death damages include economic losses (lost income, household services, funeral expenses) and non-economic losses (loss of companionship, love, guidance). California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 governs who can file.
Types of Wrongful Death Damages
- Lost financial support: The income the deceased would have earned over their remaining working life, calculated by an economist using age, salary, and life expectancy tables
- Loss of household services: The value of services the deceased provided — childcare, cooking, cleaning, home maintenance, and other contributions to the household
- Loss of companionship and consortium: Non-economic damages for surviving spouses and children for loss of love, comfort, care, and moral support. Not capped in California.
- Funeral and burial expenses: Reasonable costs of the funeral, burial, or cremation
- Final medical expenses: Medical bills incurred from the injury to the date of death
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in California
- Surviving spouse or registered domestic partner
- Surviving children (biological and adopted)
- Surviving grandchildren if the deceased's children are also deceased
- Anyone financially dependent on the deceased (including putative spouses)
- Parents, if there is no surviving spouse or children
How to Use This Tool — Step by Step
- Enter the deceased's information: Age, occupation, annual income, and years until retirement.
- Select your relationship: Spouse, child, parent, or dependent. Different relationships affect what damages you can recover.
- Enter household services value: Estimate the annual value of household services the deceased provided.
- Enter funeral and medical expenses: Actual costs already incurred.
- Review your estimate: The tool calculates economic and non-economic damages and provides a total range.
Why Wrongful Death Cases Require an Attorney
Wrongful death cases are among the most complex personal injury claims. They require expert economists to calculate lost financial support, vocational experts to assess earning capacity, and medical experts to establish causation. Insurance companies aggressively defend wrongful death claims because the damages can be substantial. Without an attorney, families routinely accept settlements far below the true value of their claim. HellaHurt attorney Morgan D. Ross (CA Bar #270650, licensed in California and Guam) handles Guam wrongful death cases; Robert B. Salgado (CA Bar #297391) handles California wrongful death cases — both on contingency — no fees unless we win. If you lost a family member due to someone else's negligence, call 888-693-5777 or start a free AI case check immediately to protect your family's rights.