There is simply no way to put a price tag on human life, but in reality, surviving family members of a wrongful death victim generally need some form of compensation if they wish to maintain their standard of living. This may be especially true when the deceased person was the primary source of income for that family.When calculating the worth of a wrongful death claim, the court may consider the deceased person’s age, income as well as potential earnings, moral character, general health, and life expectancy.  In general, younger victims with higher salaries may justify higher damage awards in wrongful death cases. When a child or older person dies, however, their families may usually recover fewer damages. This is because most children may not have regular incomes and most elderly individuals may have retired and no longer earn a steady wage from employment.