How to run Wrongful Death Damages in DocketMath for California

Step-by-step

This guide walks you through running Wrongful Death Damages in DocketMath for California (US-CA) using the jurisdiction-aware wrongful-death framework under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60. You’ll enter the right parties, then generate a damages output that reflects who may assert a wrongful-death cause of action under California law.

1) Open the California wrongful-death calculator

Start from the primary CTA and land on the tool page:

• /tools/wrongful-death-damages

If you’re already on the tool and just need to verify you’re in the right place, look for the California wrongful-death setup controls within the same workflow—no separate page is required.

2) Set the jurisdiction to California (US-CA)

Within DocketMath, confirm the jurisdiction context is US-CA. This matters because DocketMath applies jurisdiction-aware rules tied to the statutory structure you’re modeling.

3) Identify the statutory claimant(s) under CCP § 377.60

California allows the wrongful-death cause of action to be asserted by specific categories of people (or by the decedent’s personal representative on their behalf).

Use Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60 to guide the claimant selection in your setup:

• Surviving spouse
• Domestic partner
• Children and issue of deceased children
• (The statute includes additional categories in its full text; the key point for setup is that you must select a claimant option authorized by § 377.60.)

In practice, DocketMath’s claimant input is where this becomes “operational”—choose the person or category that best matches CCP § 377.60 for your scenario.

Source reference: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP&sectionNum=377.60

4) Use the “personal representative” option when appropriate

If you’re modeling a scenario where the claim is asserted by the decedent’s personal representative rather than by a family member directly, select that pathway in the tool.

California’s statute explicitly allows:

• “the decedent’s personal representative on their behalf” to assert the cause of action.

This is a common setup difference that can affect the way the tool structures claimant-related outputs (for example, how it frames eligibility or organizes party-related breakdowns).

5) Confirm there is no claim-type-specific sub-rule for period handling

Your jurisdiction data includes an important instruction:

• No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found.

So, when setting the projection horizon or any “period” setting in the calculator, you should use the general/default period logic for California wrongful-death in DocketMath—rather than expecting the tool to apply a special wrongful-death-specific override for the period.

Checklist for your run:

• Use the general/default period behavior (not a special “claim-type” override)
• Do not apply a separate period rule based on claimant category (because none was found in your jurisdiction data)

6) Enter damages inputs and watch which outputs change

Now move to the numeric fields. Exact labels can vary by tool version, but the workflow is typically:

• Add economic loss components (for example, income-related figures, depending on the tool’s model).
• Add noneconomic components if the calculator includes them as inputs.
• Set any time horizon / projection period using the tool’s general/default period behavior for California (as confirmed above).

As you enter values, observe what updates:

• If you increase projected earnings/income inputs, you should expect the economic totals to change accordingly.
• If you adjust the period (even under general/default logic), totals typically scale across the projection.
• Claimant selection primarily changes eligibility/structure and any claimant-labeled breakdowns, rather than rewriting every math formula.

Gentle reminder: This guide explains how to operate the calculator setup and interpret tool behavior. It’s not legal advice.

7) Generate results and review the California-aware breakdown

After you run the calculation:

• Verify the tool displays claimant eligibility or claimant framing consistent with CCP § 377.60.
• Review the damages summary to ensure the period behavior aligns with the general/default period instruction (since no claim-type-specific period sub-rule was found).

If the tool shows warnings or produces outputs that appear tied to a different claimant group than your facts, rerun using the claimant category that matches § 377.60 more closely.

8) Export or document your run

If DocketMath provides an export, shareable link, or summary:

• Capture your key inputs (at minimum: jurisdiction (US-CA), claimant category, and the most important numeric assumptions).
• Save the results so you can reproduce the calculation later if you refine assumptions.

Keeping a record helps with review and makes your modeled assumptions easier to audit.

Common pitfalls

Avoid these common issues when running California wrongful-death damages in DocketMath:

1. Choosing the wrong claimant pathway

   • California’s wrongful-death statute limits who can assert the claim under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60 (or who can assert it through the personal representative).
   • If the selected claimant option doesn’t match the statutory categories, the tool’s jurisdiction-aware framing may not reflect your intended setup.

2. Applying a claim-type-specific “period” assumption

   • Your jurisdiction data explicitly says: no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found.
   • Use the general/default period logic inside the tool rather than expecting a wrongful-death-only period override.

3. Mixing up “who asserts the action” vs. “how damages are measured”

   • § 377.60 is about standing / who may assert the wrongful-death cause of action.
   • The damages math inputs determine the amount—but claimant selection determines whether the tool’s outputs align with the statutory claimant structure.

4. Forgetting about domestic partner status

   • The statute includes domestic partner among the authorized claimant categories.
   • If your scenario involves a domestic partnership, selecting the wrong category can misalign the statutory setup.

5. Not using “personal representative” when the facts require it

   • If the claim is being asserted through the decedent’s personal representative, select that option.
   • This matches the statute’s explicit authorization.

Try it

Use this checklist to run a fresh California calculation in DocketMath:

• Go to /tools/wrongful-death-damages
• Confirm jurisdiction is US-CA
• Select a claimant category that matches Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60

  • Surviving spouse or
  • Domestic partner or
  • Children and issue of deceased children or
  • Decedent’s personal representative on their behalf
• Ensure the calculator is using the general/default period (no claim-type-specific override)
• Enter damages inputs and run the calculation
• Review the output to confirm claimant eligibility framing is consistent with § 377.60

Quick self-check before finalizing:

• Does the output reflect a statutorily authorized claimant category under CCP § 377.60?
• Does your projection period follow the tool’s general/default period behavior?

Related reading

• How to calculate Wrongful Death Damages in Texas — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• How to calculate Wrongful Death Damages in Philippines — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Worked example: Wrongful Death Damages in Philippines — Worked example with real statute citations