Wrongful death settlements may be larger than personal injury claims. Each case has unique factors determining the amount of compensation available.
Suppose a wrongful death case involves an eighty-nine-year-old widow without children or surviving family members, and a personal injury case involves a thirty-five-year-old single father with three minor children. The father's injuries cause a disability; he must use a wheelchair and can't return to his career. The personal injury case could result in a higher settlement because of the cost of home modifications, assistive devices, special equipment, loss of income, and job retraining.