Often, several people may share the same level of legal entitlement to compensation for the loss of a loved one: for example, if a woman with no spouse and five children dies, each of those five children may have the same grounds for compensation for that loss. Each of those children has the same right to file a wrongful death claim or accept an offer on behalf of the family, unless the woman’s will clearly designates which child has the legal responsibility for executing the estate and carrying out those actions.
Claims proceed best when the family and other beneficiaries agree to cooperate—and most of the time, the surviving family members will work together to file a wrongful death claim and decide between them how to handle dividing that compensation. This may include fair distribution of funds to minor children.