In December 2016, a fire at an Oakland warehouse made national news after 36 people were killed due to smoke inhalation. The victims were attending an unauthorized concert when a fire broke out. According to firefighters on the scene, the large crowd and narrow staircase made it difficult for concert-goers to exit the warehouse.
Families of two of the victims have decided to file wrongful death suits against the building owner, primary tenant and his wife and the event promoter for gross negligence. Their lawyers claim that the warehouse’s configuration and other unsafe conditions were the reason for their children’s deaths. The amount of damages has not been specified, but the families are focused on getting justice.
It appears that multiple other families who lost loved ones in the fire will be filing suit in the days to come.
Filing a lawsuit in Louisiana can be complicated, but wrongful death lawsuits are well worth it as they can result in damages for the loss of your loved one. Grieving families can recover damages for lost wages, lost services and loss of companionship. Courts will consider the financial contributions of the deceased, as well as other forms of contribution when determining the damages to be awarded. When determining wrongful death damages for the loss of a child, the court may only focus on the family’s financial loss. Courts will consider the age, work expectancy, earning potential and relationship of the deceased to the family when calculating damages.
If you have lost a family member due to another person’s negligence, you are entitled to receive compensation to support you as you try to move forward with your life.
Source: CBS SFBayArea, “First Wrongful Death Lawsuits Filed in Fatal Oakland Warehouse Fire,” Dec. 23, 2016
