Virginia Wrongful Death Claims: Information for Families Who Lost a Loved One

Originally posted October 12, 2021 | Substantially updated by Robert Byrne: December 16, 2025

The phone call came at 2:37 AM. A mother’s worst nightmare had come true—her 28-year-old son had been killed in an accident caused by a drunk driver who ran a red light at 80 miles per hour. In the days that followed, as she struggled with overwhelming grief, she faced another devastating reality: her son was her only child, and she didn’t know if she had any legal right to hold the driver accountable. She worried that because her son was an adult, she might have no legal standing. She feared the drunk driver would face criminal charges but that her family would have no civil recourse to address the financial and emotional devastation his death caused.

This mother’s confusion is tragically common. Virginia’s wrongful death laws are complex, technical, and unforgiving. Who can file a claim, what damages are recoverable, how the law treats different family relationships, and what procedures must be followed are all governed by specific statutes that differ significantly from other states and from what many people assume based on common sense or general knowledge of personal injury law.

If someone you love has died due to another person’s or entity’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct, you may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. But understanding your rights, the legal process, who can file, what compensation is available, and the strict deadlines that apply requires knowledge of Virginia’s specific wrongful death statutes.

As an experienced Virginia wrongful death attorney, I’ve represented families through some of the most difficult periods of their lives, helping them navigate the legal system with a wrongful death lawsuit while grieving devastating losses. In this comprehensive guide, I want to explain Virginia wrongful death law, who can file claims, what must be proven, what damages are available, how these cases differ from criminal prosecutions, and what families should know if they’re considering a wrongful death claim.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil lawsuit that allows certain family members or a personal representative to seek compensation when a person dies due to another party’s wrongful conduct.

The Fundamental Principle of Wrongful Death Claims

The law recognizes that when someone’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct causes a death, the surviving family members suffer measurable losses—financial, emotional, and relational. Wrongful death statutes create a legal remedy to compensate those losses and hold responsible parties accountable.

The core concept: If the deceased person would have had a valid personal injury claim had they survived, their death shouldn’t eliminate the ability to seek accountability—it should transform the claim into a wrongful death action pursued by surviving family members or their estate.

Civil vs. Criminal Cases: Critical Differences

One of the most important distinctions families must understand is that wrongful death lawsuits and claims are civil cases, not criminal prosecutions, and the two proceed on entirely separate tracks with different standards, outcomes, and purposes. It is helpful to understand the differences between criminal and civil cases to understand what a wrongful death claim is.

Criminal Cases:

– Prosecuted by: The government (Commonwealth of Virginia)

– Purpose: Punish criminal conduct and protect society

– Burden of proof: Beyond a reasonable doubt (very high standard with clear certainty)

– Outcome: Conviction can result in incarceration, fines paid to the state, probation

– Victim’s family role: Witnesses, but not parties controlling the case

– Standard: Must prove criminal intent and all elements of the crime

– Compensation: No financial compensation to family

Wrongful Death Civil Cases:

– Brought by: Family members or their personal representative

– Purpose: Compensate victims’ families for losses and hold parties financially accountable

– Burden of proof: Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not—just over 50% certainty)

– Outcome: Monetary damages paid to the family

– Family’s role: Plaintiffs who control the litigation and make strategic decisions

– Standard: Must prove negligence or wrongful conduct caused death

– Compensation: Direct financial compensation to beneficiaries

Why This Matters Practically

You can pursue a wrongful death claim regardless of whether criminal charges are filed. The two systems are independent:

Scenario 1: Criminal charges result in conviction

– You can still pursue a wrongful death claim

– The criminal conviction may help prove liability in civil court

– But you must still independently prove damages and other civil elements

Scenario 2: Criminal charges result in acquittal or no charges filed

– You can STILL pursue a wrongful death claim

– The lower burden of proof in civil court means you may prevail even when criminal prosecution failed

– The O.J. Simpson case is the most famous example: acquitted of criminal murder but found liable in civil wrongful death lawsuit

Scenario 3: No criminal charges at all

– Most wrongful death cases involve no criminal conduct whatsoever

– Medical malpractice, car accidents, truck crashes, workplace accidents, product defects—these rarely involve crimes

– Civil liability exists even when no crime occurred

– Negligence (carelessness) is sufficient for civil liability even though it’s not a crime

The practical advantage: Because civil cases require only “more likely than not” rather than “beyond reasonable doubt,” many families achieve justice in civil court even when criminal prosecution fails or never occurs.

For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call (434) 817-3100

Virginia’s Wrongful Death Statute: The Legal Framework

Virginia’s wrongful death law is codified primarily in Virginia Code § 8.01-50, with related provisions in several other code sections. Understanding this statute is essential because Virginia’s law differs from other states in significant ways.

Virginia Code § 8.01-50: Basic Requirements

The statute establishes that a wrongful death action can be brought when a person’s death is caused by:

– The wrongful act, neglect, or default of another person or entity, AND

– The act would have entitled the deceased to bring a personal injury action had they survived

This “but for” requirement is critical: If the deceased wouldn’t have had a valid personal injury claim (perhaps due to contributory negligence or another bar), generally no wrongful death claim exists either.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim vs. Who Receives Damages: Critical Distinction

Virginia law separates two important questions that are often confused:

Who has the legal right (standing) to file the wrongful death lawsuit? (Virginia Code § 8.01-50)
Who receives the damages if the lawsuit is successful? (Virginia Code § 8.01-53)

**These are NOT the same groups, and understanding the difference is essential.**

Who Can File the Lawsuit: Virginia Code § 8.01-50

Virginia Code § 8.01-50 establishes a strict hierarchy determining who has the legal standing to bring a wrongful death action. This is about who can serve as plaintiff and control the litigation—not who gets the money.

The personal representative (executor or administrator) appointed by the court or named in the deceased’s will has first priority to bring the wrongful death action, as set forth in Viginia Code § 8.01-50(A).

But, if no personal representative is appointed by the court within 60 days of death, then Va. Code 64.2-454 kicks in. If they fail to do so, the right passes to anyone who might be able to qualify before the circuit court clerk.

This means that even potential creditors of the estate can ask to be appointed as the personal representative of an estate. After all, they may contend that they are owed money. If they believe that their only chance of recovery is through a wrongful death action, they may have someone appointed to bring a claim to recover their losses.

This could occur, for example, if an individual is gravely injured in a terrible crash and another party is fault. That individual goes to the hospital and incurs hundreds of thousands of dollars before dying due to their injuries.

In that situation, the hospital could appoint someone who could step in as an administrator after 60 days. The hospital could seek repayment of their outstanding bills as part of their representation.

Because of this, it is critically important for families to act quickly and not wait. Otherwise, someone who is not ideally positioned may step in and control the estate and act as administrator.

Important: The personal representative files the lawsuit on behalf of the statutory beneficiaries (discussed below), but the personal representative themselves may not be a beneficiary entitled to damages.

Who Receives the Damages: Virginia Code § 8.01-53

Again, who receives the money from a wrongful death case is completely separate from who files the lawsuit. Virginia Code § 8.01-53 establishes who the statutory beneficiaries are—the people who are entitled to receive wrongful death damages.

The Statutory Beneficiaries

Virginia Code § 8.01-53 specifies that damages are distributed to beneficiaries in the following order:

First Class Wrongful Death Beneficiaries: Surviving spouse and children of the deceased

If the deceased left a surviving spouse or children (or both), they are the beneficiaries entitled to receive damages. Any parents who “regularly received support or regularly received services from the decedent for necessaries, including living expenses, food, shelter, health care expenses, or in-home assistance or care” will also be eligible as a beneficiary. The damages are distributed between/among them based on their individual losses as determined by the jury.

Example: A man dies leaving a wife and two children. The wife and both children are beneficiaries. The jury determines how much each should receive based on their individual relationships and losses.

Second Class Wrongful Death Beneficiaries: If no surviving spouse or children, then parents

If the deceased had no surviving spouse or children, the parents become the statutory beneficiaries entitled to damages, any brothers and sisters, and any relative “who is primarily dependent on the decedent for support or services and is also a member of the same household as the decedent.”

Third Class Wrongful Death Beneficiaries: If surviving spouse and parents, but no child or grandchild, then to spouse and parents

If the deceased had a spouse and parent or parents, but no children or grandchildren, then the damages would go to the spouse and parents.

Fourth Class Wrongful Death Beneficiaries: To survivors under 1 and 3 and other household dependents

If there are first or third class beneficiaries, the award shall be distributed to them and to any other relative “who is primarily dependent on the decedent for support or services and is also a member of the same household as the decedent.”

Fifth Class Wrongful Death Beneficiaries: The “Course of Descents”

If there are no beneficiaries under classes 1-4, damages may go to other relatives who would inherit under Virginia’s intestacy statutes.

Why This Distinction Matters

Scenario 1: Personal Representative Who Isn’t a Beneficiary

A man dies, survived by his wife and two adult children. His brother is named as personal representative in the will.

– Who files the lawsuit: The brother (as personal representative)

– Who receives damages: The wife and two children (the statutory beneficiaries under § 8.01-53)

– Does the brother get anything: No—he’s just the plaintiff bringing the case on behalf of the actual beneficiaries

Scenario 2: Beneficiary Who Isn’t the Personal Representative

A woman dies, survived only by her elderly mother. No personal representative has been appointed within sixty days.

– Who can file the lawsuit: The mother (under § 64.2-454, she has standing to be qualified as personal representative when non one filed within sixty days)

– Who receives damages: The mother (she’s also the statutory beneficiary under § 8.01-53)

– Result: The mother is both the personal representative (administrator) for the estate and is the lone beneficiary

Click to contact personal injury lawyers today

The Personal Representative’s Fiduciary Duty

When a personal representative files a wrongful death action, they have a fiduciary duty to the statutory beneficiaries to:

– Pursue the claim diligently

– Make decisions in the beneficiaries’ best interests

– Not settle without court approval if beneficiaries include minors

– Properly distribute any recovery to the rightful beneficiaries under § 8.01-53

The personal representative cannot:

– Settle the case to benefit themselves at the expense of beneficiaries

– Keep any of the damages (unless they happen to also be a statutory beneficiary)

– Make decisions based on their own interests rather than the beneficiaries’

When Minor Children Are Beneficiaries

Special protections apply when statutory beneficiaries include minor children:

Like all wrongful death settlements, court approval required when some of the beneficiaries are legal minors. Settlements involving minor beneficiaries must be approved by the court to ensure fairness.

The circuit court judge will typically take extra steps when minor children are involved to ensure that the children are treated fairly and that their share of the distributions are kept safe from dishonest family members.

Here are additional steps judges use when there are minor beneficiaries:

Appoint a guardian ad litem: The court may appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the minor children’s interests independently. A guardian ad litem is typically an attorney who will conduct a brief investigation to gather information about the child and to ensure that any settlement is in their best interests.
Require structured settlements: Courts often require settlement proceeds for minors to be placed in structured settlements or trusts until they reach adulthood. A structured settlement is essentially like an annuity contract where the money is invested and the minor beneficiary receives increased distributions over time.
Ascertain the appropriate distribution: The court determines appropriate distribution among beneficiaries, considering each child’s age, needs, and other factors under Code 8.01-52.

Complete a Case Evaluation form now

Distribution Among Multiple Beneficiaries

When the beneficiaries agree about distribution

It is oftentimes the case that the various beneficiaries are close family members and they are able to reach an agreement regarding how settlement funds should be distributed. And so long as the beneficiaries all agree and there are no minor beneficiaries, the circuit court judge will typically honor the agreement among the parties.

But there are times when complicated family dynamics make agreement impossible. I’ve found that is most likely to occur when some dies and the only surviving beneficiaries are parents. Those parents are often divorced, are not together, and they do not agree on many things.

When multiple statutory beneficiaries exist under Va. Code § 8.01-53 (for example, a surviving spouse and three children), Virginia law requires the jury (or the court in a settlement) to specify how damages should be distributed among them.

How this works when the beneficiaries do not agree:

The trial judge or a jury considers each beneficiary’s individual losses:

– The judge or jury will hear evidence about the beneficiary’s relationship with the deceased

– Evidence will include the impact of the death on them specifically

– They will present evidence about their financial dependence on the deceased

– They will also have the opportunity to present evidence of loss of companionship, guidance, and services specific to them

After hearing this evidence, the judge or jury awards separate amounts to each beneficiary based on their individual losses, not according to any predetermined formula.

What is important to understand about the distribution

When the judge or jury there’s no automatic rule that says how funds should be distributed amongst beneficiaries. So there is not a rule of thumb that a spouse gets 50% or children split everything equally. It’s based on evidence of each person’s specific losses.

It may be the case that there is a wrongful death lawsuit and it is unclear that a defendant caused the death in question. When that occurs, a jury may issue a verdict about the case and the verdict may also include a breakdown about how the verdict proceeds should be distributed.

But if the verdict does not state how the funds should be distributed amongst the beneficiaries, Virginia statutory law will kick in. Under Virginia Code § 8.01-54(B), a trial judge will then specify the distribution for the beneficiaries and enter judgment. Before the beneficiaries are paid, however, Va. Code § 8.01-54(C) requires that the verdict should first pay costs, attorneys fees, and then pay any outstanding hospital, medical, and funeral expenses. Any remaining amount will then be paid to the beneficiaries.

Practical Implications About Wrongful Death Claims

For families considering wrongful death claims:

Understand who should file: Examine if the deceased had a will that appointed someone as their personal representative. If so, you should determine if the will should be probated and if the will gives power to pursue a wrongful death action. Usually the personal representative is qualified by the clerk within 60 days of death.
Understand who benefits: The statutory beneficiaries under Va. Code § 8.01-53 receive damages, regardless of who files.
Get legal advice early: These distinctions are technical and complex. And mistakes can be costly.
Don’t assume filing equals receiving: Just because someone is the personal representative doesn’t mean they’ll receive damages. In fact, the personal representative does not have to be a beneficiary.
Protect all beneficiaries’ interests: If you’re the personal representative, remember your fiduciary duty to all beneficiaries.

The Sixty-Day Window Creates Urgency

There is a critical deadline for families to take note of in wrongful death claims. That is the sixty day period after a loved one’s death. If a personal representative is going to be qualified as a personal representative under a will, they should do so within 60 days of death. Missing this deadline doesn’t eliminate the wrongful death claim, but it transfers standing to file to others under the second-priority provisions of § 8.01-50.

This creates practical complications:

– Families may be uncertain about whether a personal representative will act

– Qualifying beneficiaries may need to take action if the six-month window passes

– Disputes can arise about who should file and control the litigation

Even though Virginia has a two-year statute of limitations for filing wrongful death claims (discussed below), don’t wait six months to consult an attorney.

Be sure to act early

Early action will help you determine who can qualify and when they are able to qualify as a personal representative. Taking action early will also make sure there is plenty of time for the personal representative to be appointed, which allows the family to make sure the preferred person is appointed.

Acting early will also give you the best chance to preserve all evidence in the case. You want to move quickly to save evidence. That will help your legal team build the best and strongest case.

Common Situations That Give Rise to Wrongful Death Claims

Wrongful death claims can arise from virtually any situation where negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct causes a death.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice becomes a wrongful death claim when a healthcare provider’s negligence causes a patient’s death.

Common scenarios where medical malpractice causes death:

– Misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose: A doctor fails to diagnose cancer, heart disease, or another serious condition, and the patient dies from the untreated condition

– Surgical errors: Mistakes during surgery cause death—wrong-site surgery, anesthesia errors, infections from unsanitary conditions, leaving surgical instruments inside the patient

– Medication errors: Wrong medication, wrong dosage, or dangerous drug interactions cause fatal reactions

– Birth injuries: Negligence during pregnancy, labor, or delivery causes the death of the mother or baby

– Emergency room errors: Failure to properly triage, delayed treatment, or misdiagnosis in emergency settings leads to death

What must be proven in a medical malpractice case: The healthcare provider deviated from the accepted standard of care, and that deviation caused the patient’s death. Medical malpractice cases require expert testimony from qualified medical professionals.

Truck Crashes and Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car, truck, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents are among the most common sources of wrongful death claims.

Common truck crash and other motor vehicle accident scenarios:

– Drunk driving: Impaired drivers cause fatal crashes

– Distracted driving: Texting, phone use, or other distractions lead to deadly accidents

– Speeding and reckless driving: Excessive speed or aggressive driving causes loss of control or inability to stop

– Truck accidents: Commercial truck negligence causes catastrophic crashes (as I discuss extensively in my truck accident articles)

– Pedestrian accidents: Drivers strike and kill pedestrians in crosswalks or on roadways

– Motorcycle accidents: Other drivers fail to see motorcyclists or violate their right of way

What must be proven in a truck or car crash case: The driver breached their duty to operate safely (through negligence like speeding, running red lights, or driving impaired), and that breach caused the fatal crash.

Workplace Accidents

Fatal workplace accidents may give rise to wrongful death claims, though workers’ compensation laws complicate these cases.

Common workplace accident scenarios:

– Construction accidents: Falls from heights, electrocutions, struck-by incidents, caught-in/between accidents

– Industrial accidents: Machinery malfunctions, chemical exposures, explosions

– Transportation accidents: Commercial drivers killed in vehicle crashes

– Violence: Workplace assaults or shootings where employer negligence contributed

Workers’ compensation intersection: Virginia’s workers’ compensation system generally bars wrongful death lawsuits against employers, even when the employer was negligent. However, wrongful death claims may be possible against:

– Third parties (equipment manufacturers, property owners, subcontractors)

– Employers in certain circumstances (intentional conduct, lack of workers’ comp coverage)

Workplace wrongful death cases require careful analysis of workers’ compensation exclusivity and potential third-party claims.

Product Liability

Defective products that cause deaths can give rise to wrongful death claims against manufacturers, distributors, and sellers.

Common product liability scenarios:

– Defective vehicles: Design or manufacturing defects in cars, trucks, or motorcycles cause fatal crashes

– Defective medical devices: Faulty pacemakers, hip implants, surgical tools cause death

– Dangerous pharmaceuticals: Defective drugs or inadequate warnings about side effects lead to fatal reactions

– Consumer products: Defective household products, machinery, or equipment cause deaths

What must be proven in a product liability case: The product had a design defect, manufacturing defect, or inadequate warnings, and the defect caused the death. Product liability cases often involve strict liability principles that don’t require proving negligence—just that the product was defective and unreasonably dangerous.

Premises Liability

Property owners’ negligence in maintaining safe premises can lead to fatal accidents.

Common premises liability scenarios:

– Slip and fall: Hazardous conditions cause falls resulting in fatal head injuries or other trauma

– Inadequate security: Failure to provide reasonable security leads to assaults, shootings, or other violence causing death

– Swimming pool accidents: Drownings due to lack of proper fencing, supervision, or safety measures

– Structural failures: Building collapses, falling objects, or structural defects cause fatal injuries

What must be proven in a premises liability case: The property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, failed to remedy it or warn about it, and the condition caused the fatal accident.

What Must Be Proven in a Virginia Wrongful Death Claim

To prevail in a wrongful death lawsuit, you must prove four essential elements by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not):

1. Duty of Care

You must prove the defendant owed a duty of care to the deceased.

What this means: The defendant had a legal obligation to act (or refrain from acting) in a certain way to avoid causing harm.

Examples of duty of care:

– Drivers owe a duty to other road users to operate vehicles safely and follow traffic laws

– Doctors owe patients a duty to provide medical care meeting the accepted standard of care

– Property owners owe a duty to maintain reasonably safe premises for lawful visitors

– Manufacturers owe a duty to produce products that are reasonably safe

– Employers owe employees a duty to provide a reasonably safe workplace

In most cases, establishing duty is straightforward. The relationship between parties creates obvious duties. Occasionally duty becomes contentious when the defendant argues they owed no duty to the deceased (perhaps claiming the deceased was a trespasser or that no special relationship existed).

2. Breach of Duty

You must prove the defendant breached (violated) the duty they owed.

What this means: The defendant’s conduct fell below the standard of care required by the duty—they acted negligently, recklessly, or intentionally in a wrongful manner.

Examples of breached duties of care:

– A driver breached their duty by running a red light, speeding, or driving while intoxicated

– A doctor breached their duty by misdiagnosing a condition when a competent doctor would have diagnosed it correctly

– A property owner breached their duty by failing to repair or warn about a dangerous condition they knew existed

– A manufacturer breached their duty by producing a product with a known design defect

How breached duties are proven:

– Direct evidence: Eyewitness testimony, video footage, accident reports, admissions

– Expert testimony: In medical malpractice, professional negligence, or technical cases, experts establish the standard of care and testify how the defendant’s conduct fell short

– Violation of statutes or regulations: Breaking laws or safety regulations can establish breach (negligence per se)

3. Causation

You must prove the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused the death.

This requires proving two types of causation:

Cause-in-fact (but-for causation): “But for” the defendant’s breach, the death would not have occurred. The breach must be an actual cause of death, not merely associated with it.

Proximate cause (legal cause): The death was a foreseeable result of the breach. The breach must be closely enough related to the death that it’s fair to hold the defendant responsible.

Examples of causation:

– A drunk driver runs a red light and strikes the deceased’s car, causing fatal injuries. **Causation is clear:** but for the drunk driving and running the light, the crash wouldn’t have occurred, and death from such crashes is foreseeable.

– A doctor fails to diagnose cancer when symptoms clearly indicated it should have been detected. The patient dies from the cancer six months later. **Causation requires proving:** the earlier diagnosis would have led to treatment that would have prevented death or significantly extended life.

Causation challenges arise when:

– Pre-existing conditions exist: Defense argues the person would have died anyway from underlying health issues

– Multiple causes contribute: Several factors contributed to death, requiring analysis of each cause’s role

– Intervening causes occur: Something happened after the breach that might have superseded the defendant’s conduct as the legal cause

How causation is proven:

– Medical experts: In medical malpractice or cases involving medical causation, experts testify about cause of death

– Accident reconstruction: In vehicle crashes, experts prove the defendant’s conduct caused the crash that caused death

– Toxicology and autopsy reports: Medical examiner findings establish cause and contributing factors

4. Damages

You must prove the death caused compensable damages to the statutory beneficiaries.

What this means: The beneficiaries (spouse, children, parents, or other relatives) suffered quantifiable losses from the death that can be compensated monetarily.

Types of damages are discussed in detail below, but proving damages requires evidence of:

– Economic losses: Lost income, benefits, services, medical expenses, funeral costs

– Non-economic losses: Sorrow, mental anguish, loss of companionship, loss of guidance and advice

– The relationship: How the deceased’s death impacted specific beneficiaries

How damages are proven:

– Financial records: Employment records, tax returns, pay stubs proving income and earnings

– Expert testimony: Economists calculate present value of lost future income

– Personal testimony: Family members testify about their relationship, the deceased’s role in their lives, and the impact of the loss

– Medical and funeral bills: Documentation of expenses incurred

Damages Available in Virginia Wrongful Death Cases

Virginia Code § 8.01-52 specifies what damages can be recovered in wrongful death actions. Understanding what compensation is available—and what isn’t—is critical for families considering claims.

Statutory Beneficiaries Recover Damages

Important principle: Damages in Virginia wrongful death cases are awarded to the statutory beneficiaries (surviving spouse, children, parents, or other relatives as specified in § 8.01-53), not to the estate.

This matters because:

– The beneficiaries directly receive compensation

– These damages don’t pass through the estate and aren’t subject to estate creditors

– Distribution among multiple beneficiaries can be complex

Sorrow, Mental Anguish, and Solace

This is the primary category of non-economic damages in Virginia wrongful death cases.

What it compensates:

– Sorrow and grief: The emotional pain of losing a loved one

– Mental anguish: The psychological suffering caused by the death

– Loss of companionship: The absence of the deceased’s presence in beneficiaries’ lives

– Loss of solace and comfort: The deceased’s inability to provide emotional support

There’s no mathematical formula for calculating these damages. Juries consider:

– The closeness of the relationship between the deceased and each beneficiary

– The deceased’s role in beneficiaries’ lives

– The circumstances of the death

– The beneficiaries’ grief and suffering

These damages can be substantial, often hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in cases involving close family relationships and tragic circumstances.

Loss of Services, Protection, Care, and Assistance

Beneficiaries can recover for the loss of services, protection, care, and assistance the deceased provided.

What this includes:

– Household services: Cooking, cleaning, home maintenance, yard work

– Childcare: Care and supervision the deceased provided to children

– Financial management: Management of family finances and affairs

– Protection: The deceased’s role in protecting and safeguarding the family

– Guidance and advice: Mentorship, advice, and guidance the deceased provided

How this is valued:

– Economic experts calculate the market value of services performed

– Life expectancy establishes how long services would have been provided

– Present value calculations account for receiving future services now as a lump sum

Loss of Income and Earning Capacity

When the deceased was a wage earner, beneficiaries can recover compensation for lost income and earning capacity.

What this includes:

– Past lost income: Income the deceased would have earned from death until trial.

– Future lost income: All income the deceased would have earned over their remaining work life expectancy.

– Benefits: Lost health insurance, retirement contributions, and other employment benefits.

– Raises and advancement: Anticipated salary increases and career advancement.

How this is calculated:

– Current income: This can be shown with employment records, tax returns, and pay stubs establish baseline earnings.

– Work life expectancy: Actuarial tables estimate how long the deceased would have worked, and testimony from co-workers and others can be helpful.

– Growth projections: Economists project reasonable salary growth over career.

– Present value: Future income is reduced to present value (lump sum today equals future stream of payments)

These damages can be enormous for young, high-earning professionals with decades of work life ahead—easily reaching millions of dollars.

Medical and Funeral Expenses

Reasonable medical expenses related to the final injury or illness and funeral expenses can be recovered.

What this includes:

– Medical treatment: Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, medications for the injury or illness that caused death

– Funeral and burial costs: Funeral home services, casket or cremation, burial plot, headstone, related expenses

Limitations:

– Expenses must be reasonable

– Medical expenses unrelated to the fatal injury aren’t compensable

– Elaborate or excessive funeral expenses may not be fully recoverable

Punitive Damages in Certain Cases

Under Va. Code § 8.01-52(5), a judge or jury can award punitive damages “for willful or wanton conduct, or such recklessness as evinces a conscious disregard for the safety of others.”

Punitive damages can arise in certain egregious cases. These can include drunk driving where the defendant had prior DUIs or if there is a basis for statutory punitive damages under Va. Code § 8.01-44.5.

These damages can also arise where there is intentional conduct or extreme recklessness.

**Pain and suffering of the deceased:** The wrongful death action compensates the beneficiaries’ losses, not the deceased’s suffering before death.

The Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death Actions: Strict Deadlines

Virginia Code § 8.01-244 establishes the statute of limitations for wrongful death actions as two years from the date of death.

This Deadline Is Absolute and Unforgiving

If you don’t file your wrongful death lawsuit within two years of the date of death, your claim is permanently barred.

A very limited exception exists, such as for fraud or concealment. In rare cases where the defendant fraudulently concealed facts making the claim undiscoverable, the statute might be tolled

Don’t count on exceptions. For practical purposes, assume you have two years from death, period.

Why This Matters Practically

Two years seems like a long time when you’re grieving, but it passes quickly, and wrongful death cases require extensive investigation, expert retention, and preparation.

Families who wait too long often find:

– Evidence has disappeared

– Witnesses’ memories have faded

– Critical documents have been discarded

– Medical or other experts are harder to retain

– Insurance companies are less willing to negotiate

Best practice: Consult an attorney within the first few months after the death. Early action preserves all options and maximizes case value.

The Discovery Rule Generally Doesn’t Apply

In some personal injury cases, the statute of limitations doesn’t begin running until the injury is discovered. This “discovery rule” generally does NOT apply to wrongful death claims.

The statute runs from the date of death, not from when you discovered who was at fault or that you had a claim.

There is potentially a exception In medical malpractice cases where death occurs long after the malpractice and the connection isn’t immediately apparent, limited discovery rule principles might apply, but this is highly fact-specific.

Wrongful Death vs. Survival Actions: Understanding the Difference

Virginia recognizes two distinct types of claims that can arise when someone dies due to another’s wrongful conduct: wrongful death actions and survival actions. These are often confused but are legally separate.

Wrongful Death Actions

Purpose: Compensate the beneficiaries (family members) for their losses caused by the death

Who brings it: Personal representative or qualifying beneficiaries as discussed above (under § 8.01-50)

Who receives damages: Statutory beneficiaries under § 8.01-53 (spouse, children, parents, or other relatives)

Damages: Beneficiaries’ sorrow, mental anguish, loss of companionship, loss of income and services—the family’s losses

Statute: Virginia Code § 8.01-50 and § 8.01-52

Survival Actions

Purpose: Compensate the deceased’s estate for losses the deceased suffered before death

Who brings it: Personal representative of the estate only

Who receives damages: The deceased’s estate (which then distributes according to will or intestacy laws)

Damages:

– Medical expenses for treatment of final injury/illness

– Lost wages from injury until death

– Pain and suffering the deceased experienced before death

– Punitive damages (if conduct was willful and wanton)

Statute: Virginia Code § 8.01-25

Key Differences Between Wrongful Death and Survival Actions

Wrongful death compensates the family; survival action compensates the deceased’s estate.

Both actions can be pursued simultaneously, but they will most likely be for different events.

Why Survival Actions Matter

If someone had a personal injury action or another legal claim that existed at the time of their death, that claim will survive their death. This is what a survival claim is.

What is important to understand is that, generally speaking, a survival action cannot be based on the same injuries that led to the person’s death. So if the deceased was badly injured in a truck crash and they eventually died from those injuries, that cause of action will need to be converted into a wrongful death action under Va. Code § 8.01-56.

A survival action can exist if, say, that same person had experienced medical malpractice before their death. But the medical malpractice was not life threatening and it was not related to the cause of the person’s death. In that situation, their subsequent death would not extinguish the right of the estate to bring a survival action for medical malpractice.

Damages available in Survival Actions

Deceased’s pain before death: If the deceased suffered significantly before dying, this suffering has value that wrongful death damages don’t capture.

Medical expenses: Substantial medical bills for pre-death treatment are estate expenses not covered by wrongful death damages.

Special Considerations for Different Types of Wrongful Death Cases

Different types of wrongful death cases present unique challenges and considerations:

Medical Malpractice Wrongful Death

Medical malpractice cap on damages

Virginia imposes a cap on total damages in medical malpractice cases, currently $2.95 million (adjusted periodically). This cap applies to ALL damages—both economic and non-economic—in the wrongful death claim.

This cap severely limits recovery in cases involving young, high-earning victims whose lost income alone might exceed the cap.

Expert requirements

Medical malpractice cases require expert testimony from qualified medical professionals establishing the standard of care and how it was breached. Finding and retaining appropriate experts is critical.

Truck Accident Wrongful Death

As I discuss extensively in my truck accident articles, commercial vehicle accidents involve:

Federal regulations: Violations of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations often establish negligence.

Multiple defendants: Trucking companies, freight brokers, maintenance providers, and others may share liability

Higher insurance coverage: Commercial trucks carry $750,000 to tens of millions of dollars in insurance, making adequate recovery more feasible

Complex evidence: Electronic logging devices, black boxes, and company records require immediate preservation

Workers’ Compensation Cases

Exclusivity rule: Virginia’s workers’ compensation system generally bars wrongful death lawsuits against employers, even for clear negligence. This is known as the workers compensation exclusivity bar.

Exceptions:

– No coverage: Employers who don’t carry required workers’ comp insurance lose exclusivity

– Third parties: Claims against equipment manufacturers, property owners, or others who aren’t the employer

Workers’ compensation death benefits are limited compared to wrongful death damages. That’s why it is critically important to pursue a third-party claim when they are available.

What Families Should Do If Considering a Wrongful Death Claim

If you’ve lost a loved one and believe another party’s wrongful conduct caused the death, take these steps:

1. Secure Legal Representation Quickly

Wrongful death cases are among the most complex in personal injury law. Early consultation with an experienced attorney preserves options and prevents costly mistakes.

Don’t wait for grief to subside or for “the right time.” Evidence disappears, witnesses’ memories fade, and deadlines approach.

2. Preserve Evidence

Document everything related to the death. This includes:

– Medical records

– Accident reports

– Photographs of the scene or conditions

– Witness contact information

– Employment and financial records of the deceased

– Communications with potential defendants or insurers

Your attorney will send spoliation letters demanding preservation of critical evidence like:

– Electronic data (black boxes, computer records, surveillance footage)

– Company records and policies

– Maintenance and inspection records

– Internal communications

3. Avoid Giving Statements

Don’t give recorded statements to insurance companies or potential defendants. Anything you say can be used against you, and adjusters are trained to elicit statements that minimize liability.

Politely decline and refer them to your attorney once you’ve retained one. Insurance companies are not allowed to speak with you after they have been put on notice that you are represented by an attorney.

4. Don’t Accept Quick Settlement Offers

Insurance companies often make early settlement offers hoping to resolve claims before families understand:

– The full extent of available damages

– All potentially liable parties and their insurance coverage

– The strength of liability evidence

– That multiple claims (wrongful death and survival action) might exist

Early offers are almost always inadequate. Consult an attorney before accepting anything.

5. Understand the Financial Reality

Wrongful death cases are expensive to litigate properly:

– Expert witness fees (medical experts, economists, accident reconstructionists) often exceed $50,000-$250,000

– Wrongful death cases require extensive discovery and depositions

– Trial preparation and presentation in wrongful death cases is grueling and trying the case will be expensive

Most wrongful death attorneys work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing unless you recover compensation. This makes quality representation accessible even when the upfront costs would be prohibitive.

6. Consider Grief Counseling

Legal action doesn’t replace emotional healing. While pursuing justice and compensation, take care of your emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Many families benefit from grief counseling, support groups, or therapy. The legal process can be re-traumatizing, and having emotional support systems is critical.

How Long Do Wrongful Death Cases Take?

Most wrongful death cases take 1-3 years from filing to resolution.

Many factors may impact this timeline:

– Liability clarity: Cases with clear liability (drunk driving, blatant malpractice) may settle faster than disputed liability cases

– Damages complexity: Cases requiring extensive economic expert analysis take longer

– Number of defendants: Multiple defendants create scheduling complexity

– Court backlogs: Trial dates may be 12-24 months out in busy jurisdictions

– Insurance coverage: More insurance means more coverage to provide compensation, and increased compensation can complicate things

– Defendant cooperation: Some defendants litigate aggressively, extending timelines

Wrongful death cases can’t be rushed. Proper development of damages (especially future economic losses) takes time, and settling too quickly often means leaving money on the table.

The Emotional Toll of Wrongful Death Litigation

Families should understand that pursuing a wrongful death claim is emotionally difficult beyond the already devastating grief of loss.

You will likely need to:

– Relive the circumstances of your loved one’s death repeatedly

– Testify about your relationship and the impact of the loss

– Endure defense attorneys questioning your grief and relationship

– Attend depositions and potentially trial

– See autopsy photos and medical records

– Hear defendants minimize or deny responsibility

This is necessary to achieve justice and compensation, but it exacts an emotional cost. Having a supportive attorney who understands this and communicates compassionately makes a significant difference.

The Importance of Specialized Legal Representation

Wrongful death cases require attorneys with specific experience and expertise.

Find an attorney with necessary skills:

– Deep knowledge of Virginia’s wrongful death statutes (§ 8.01-50, § 8.01-52, § 8.01-53)

– Experience with complex damages calculations and expert economists

– Trial experience (many wrongful death cases go to trial)

– Resources to fund expensive expert development

– Compassion and communication skills for grieving families

– Understanding of evidentiary rules for wrongful death cases

Not all personal injury attorneys handle wrongful death cases well. These cases are technically complex, emotionally demanding, and require substantial resources.

Choose an attorney who:

– Has specific experience with wrongful death claims

– Has successfully tried wrongful death cases to verdict

– Has relationships with qualified expert witnesses

– Communicates clearly and compassionately

– Has resources to fund expensive litigation

– Understands Virginia’s specific statutory framework

Conclusion: Seeking Justice While Honoring Your Loved One

Losing someone you love is devastating. When that death results from another’s wrongful conduct—negligence, recklessness, or intentional acts—the tragedy is compounded by the knowledge that the death was preventable.

Virginia’s wrongful death laws provide a mechanism to hold responsible parties accountable and to obtain compensation for the enormous losses families suffer. While no amount of money replaces a loved one, financial compensation can:

– Provide security for surviving family members who depended on the deceased

– Hold negligent parties accountable

– Prevent future deaths by creating financial consequences for dangerous conduct

– Vindicate your loved one’s life and memory

– Provide resources for children’s education and family’s future

Understanding your rights under Virginia law is the first step toward justice. Who can file claims, who receives damages, what compensation is available, what must be proven, and what deadlines apply are all governed by specific statutes that differ from other states and from what common sense might suggest.

If you’re considering a wrongful death claim, early consultation with experienced legal counsel preserves all options and maximizes your family’s recovery.

Contact Our Firm

If you’ve lost a loved one due to another party’s wrongful conduct in Virginia, contact our firm for a free, confidential consultation.

We have extensive experience representing families in wrongful death cases involving medical malpractice, vehicle accidents, workplace deaths, premises liability, and other tragic circumstances.

We’ll explain your rights under Virginia Code § 8.01-50 and § 8.01-53, evaluate your potential claim, identify all liable parties and their insurance coverage, and fight for maximum compensation while treating your family with the compassion and respect you deserve during this difficult time.

We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contact Robert E. Byrne, Jr. to speak with an experienced wrongful death lawyer.

Call (888) 991-1980 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free consultation today.