Our readers in Connecticut who are familiar with previous posts here know that there is a wide range of damages that can be pursued in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Plaintiffs can pursue financial compensation to cover costs for medical expenses and treatment, or in the event of death, the victim's family may be able to recover funeral costs and lost wages that the deceased would have earned. But what about "loss of companionship" damages? What are these damages and how can they be recovered in a lawsuit?
Loss of companionship damages are also called "loss of consortium" and "loss of affection" damages. In essence, when a plaintiff in a lawsuit is pursuing these damages, the claim is that the person who has been injured or killed by the defendant's negligence is no longer capable of providing the person's significant other with companionship, parenting partnership or a sexual relationship.
Of course, these types of damages can be uniquely difficult to quantify. In most cases, the person who is pursuing loss of companionship damages must prove that the they were in a stable and loving relationship with the person who was injured or who died, that they lived together and shared a certain level of companionship and that the injured or deceased person had a certain life expectancy.
Pursuing loss of companionship damages in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can make the case quite a bit more complicated, not to mention the anguish that a victim might experience in having to testify about these matters in court. Connecticut residents who believe that they may have a claim for loss of companionship damages may need to get more information about how the facts of their own unique case may play out.
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