Wrongful Death Expert Services in Michigan
KWVRS provides wrongful death vocational, life care planning, and forensic economic analysis for attorneys handling cases in Michigan.
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.
Michigan courts and expert standards
Wrongful Death matters in Michigan are litigated in the state's trial courts, with vocational, life care planning, and economic testimony evaluated under Michigan'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 $25,000, felonies; its family division hears divorce, paternity, adoption and juvenile cases
- District Court - Civil cases up to $25,000, misdemeanors, small claims, traffic
- Court of Claims - Civil actions against the State of Michigan and its agencies; part of the Court of Appeals
Highest court: Michigan Supreme Court. Federal venues: E.D. Mich., W.D. Mich.
Sources: Michigan Courts, Trial Courts: the circuit court handles civil cases with claims of more than $25,000 and felony cases, and its family division handles divorce, paternity, adoption and juvenile cases; the district court handles civil cases with claims up to $25,000, misdemeanors, traffic violations and, in a division, small claims; the probate court handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships and treatment orders for mentally ill persons; the Court of Claims is part of the Michigan Court of Appeals (reviewed 2026-10-12); Michigan Supreme Court Learning Center, Learn About Trial Courts: the trial courts include the Circuit Court, the Probate Court, the District Court and the Court of Claims (reviewed 2026-10-12); Michigan Courts, Court of Claims: a statewide, limited jurisdiction court for civil actions against the State of Michigan and its agencies, among them highway defect and medical malpractice claims, located in the Court of Appeals (reviewed 2026-10-12); Michigan Legislature, Revised Judicature Act, circuit court jurisdiction: original jurisdiction of all civil claims and remedies except where exclusive jurisdiction is given to another court (reviewed 2026-10-12); Michigan Courts, About the Michigan Supreme Court: the Supreme Court is Michigan's court of last resort (reviewed 2026-10-12)
Attorney guides for wrongful death cases
Other case types in Michigan
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
- BLS Occupational Employment StatisticsGovernment
- Census Bureau - Current Population SurveyGovernment
- BLS American Time Use SurveyGovernment
- National Center for Health Statistics - Life ExpectancyGovernment
- Michigan Courts, Trial Courts: the circuit court handles civil cases with claims of more than $25,000 and felony cases, and its family division handles divorce, paternity, adoption and juvenile cases; the district court handles civil cases with claims up to $25,000, misdemeanors, traffic violations and, in a division, small claims; the probate court handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships and treatment orders for mentally ill persons; the Court of Claims is part of the Michigan Court of Appeals (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Michigan Supreme Court Learning Center, Learn About Trial Courts: the trial courts include the Circuit Court, the Probate Court, the District Court and the Court of Claims (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Michigan Courts, Court of Claims: a statewide, limited jurisdiction court for civil actions against the State of Michigan and its agencies, among them highway defect and medical malpractice claims, located in the Court of Appeals (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Michigan Legislature, Revised Judicature Act, circuit court jurisdiction: original jurisdiction of all civil claims and remedies except where exclusive jurisdiction is given to another court (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
- Michigan Courts, About the Michigan Supreme Court: the Supreme Court is Michigan's court of last resort (reviewed 2026-10-12)Government
Ready to Get Started on wrongful death cases in Michigan?
Contact KWVRS to discuss scope, timing, and the deliverables appropriate to the matter. Plaintiff and defense.