Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorney Blog

What is the value of a wrongful death in a medical malpractice case? Ultimately, the value is what the jury says the value of the life was. Of course, the jury's value is different from the value that the plaintiffs are actually allowed to receive. The pain and suffering cap in medical malpractice cases in Maryland for a wrongful death that occurs today is $868,750.00.

Is that fair? Do we have any other way to estimate the value of a human life? The federal government values human life in the context of how much we should spend to keep a person alive. Even within the federal government, the numbers vary:

• EPA: $9.1 million
• FDA: $7.9 million
• DOT: $6.0 million

Does it make sense that the federal government cannot agree with itself over the value of a human life? I think it does with these ranges. No one knows the exact answer. But it is impossible to argue that a human life is worth less than $1 million as Maryland's cap on damages does in medical malpractice cases for people whose loss does not cause economic hardship (economic damages) for the survivors.

• Value of Wrongful Death Medical Malpractice Cases in Maryland (the statistics)
• Average Wrongful Death Verdicts (for women)
• How Much Can I Expect to Recovery for My Claim? (discussion of how claims are valued and the different vehicles you can you to get an idea of the value of your claim)
• Personal Injury Verdicts Across the Country (personal injury verdicts in your state)
• Value of Wrongful Death Motor Vehicle Accident Cases in Maryland (average settlements and verdicts in wrongful death car accident cases in Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area)

Paul Luvera offers advice for lawyers in dealing with wrongful death cases. But I think it is also useful for all people in considering the feelings of survivors in death "cases."