Wrongful Death Expert Services in Maryland
KWVRS provides wrongful death vocational, life care planning, and forensic economic analysis for attorneys handling cases in Maryland.
Overview
Wrongful death cases quantify the economic loss to survivors and the estate resulting from a decedent's death, most commonly as lost earnings, lost fringe benefits, lost household services, and lost personal services or guidance. The vocational component reconstructs the decedent's pre-death earning capacity; the economic component reduces projected losses to present value net of personal consumption.
Vocational and economic impact
For a decedent, the vocational component reconstructs earning capacity at the time of death using education, training, work history, industry trajectories, and labor market data. In some jurisdictions, a claimant spouse's earning capacity is also evaluated where household services or income contributions are at issue.
Damages typically include lost earnings and earning capacity across the decedent's worklife, lost fringe benefits, lost household services, and in some jurisdictions loss of personal consortium, care, guidance, and advice. Projections are reduced to present value using appropriate discount rates and net of personal consumption.
Maryland courts and expert standards
Wrongful Death matters in Maryland are litigated in the state's trial courts, with vocational, life care planning, and economic testimony evaluated under Maryland's expert evidence standard. KWVRS prepares reports and testimony that account for these requirements.
Where these cases are heard
- Circuit Court - General jurisdiction; civil cases over $30,000, felonies, equity, domestic relations
- District Court - Civil cases up to $30,000, misdemeanors, motor vehicle, landlord-tenant
- Orphans' Court - Probate matters, administration of estates
Highest court: Supreme Court of Maryland. Federal venues: D. Md..
Attorney guides for wrongful death cases
Other case types in Maryland
Frequently Asked Questions
What is personal consumption and why is it deducted?
Personal consumption is the portion of the decedent's earnings that would have been spent on the decedent's own maintenance rather than provided to survivors. It is deducted so that damages reflect the net economic loss to the survivors, consistent with standard forensic economic practice.
How is lost earning capacity projected for a decedent who had not yet entered the workforce?
For young decedents or those with limited earnings history, economists use education-based and demographic-based earnings tables from Census/CPS data, applied to an expected career path consistent with the decedent's documented abilities and plans.
Are lost household services compensable in wrongful death cases?
In most jurisdictions, yes. Lost household services are valued using time-use survey data and local market wage rates for equivalent services such as childcare, home maintenance, meal preparation, and transportation.
What discount rate is applied to wrongful death damages?
Forensic economists apply discount rates drawn from Treasury yields matched to the projection horizon, often in a net discount rate framework that also accounts for expected wage growth. Jurisdiction-specific rules may apply.
References
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Contact KWVRS to discuss scope, timing, and the deliverables appropriate to the matter. Plaintiff and defense.