PGH partner, Matt Glover, settled a wrongful death claim for policy limits in the amount of $250,000.00. Matt represented the daughter and husband of the deceased who was killed in a car wreck in Jefferson County, Alabama. The adverse driver crossed the centerline of the highway upon which both he and the deceased were travelling and collided head on with the deceased's vehicle. Matt made a demand for policy limits on the adverse driver's insurance company. Since the deceased died without a will, Matt arranged for his client, the deceased's daughter, to be appointed as administratrix of the deceased's estate. Alabama law provides that the personal representative (also called the administrator of the estate) of the deceased person is the proper person to initiate a claim for wrongful death damages. In Alabama, the only damages recoverable for wrongful death are punitive damages. Punitive damages punish the wrongdoer and hopefully deter future negligent or wanton behavior. In Alabama, compensatory damages are not recoverable in a wrongful death action. Compensatory damages are designed to compensate for the losses which resulted from the wrongful death. These damages include medical bills, lost wages, pain and emotional suffering. The amount of punitive damages correlates to the seriousness of the misconduct of the person causing the death. The more serious or egregious the conduct, the more damages are potentially recoverable. If a loved one has been killed due to the negligent or wanton conduct of another, call Matt or any of the other Alabama wrongful death attorneys at Prince Glover Hayes for a free consultation.