When a family experiences the tragic loss of a loved one in an accident, they often turn to the courts for compensation in a "Wrongful Death Case."

But no matter how close certain family members are to the victim, some may be excluded entirely from claiming that loss. When a family experiences the tragic loss of a loved one in an accident, they often turn to the courts for compensation in a "Wrongful Death Case."

The Louisiana Civil Code sets out 4 categories of people who can make Wrongful Death Claims, and the way the law works, if only one person in a category is able to make the claim, then no one from any other category can. When a family experiences the tragic loss of a loved one in an accident, they often turn to the courts for compensation in a "Wrongful Death Case."

The first category includes the surviving spouse and children of a deceased. If any of them exist, then the other 3 categories of parents, brothers and sisters and grandparents are all excluded from making a claim, regardless of how close they were to the deceased. When a family experiences the tragic loss of a loved one in an accident, they often turn to the courts for compensation in a "Wrongful Death Case."

In almost all cases, the people who can make the wrongful death claim have only 1 year to do so. If you're not sure, consult an attorney. When a family experiences the tragic loss of a loved one in an accident, they often turn to the courts for compensation in a "Wrongful Death Case."

I'm Attorney Greg DiLeo, and this has been "Your Legal Minute."