How to run Wrongful Death Damages in DocketMath for Hawaii

Step-by-step

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Wrongful Death Damages calculator.

This guide shows how to run Wrongful Death Damages in DocketMath for Hawaii (US-HI) using jurisdiction-aware rules. It does not provide legal advice; instead, it explains how to set up the calculator and interpret the results.

Before you start, confirm you’re using the correct SOL (statute of limitations) framework. For Hawaii, the general/default SOL period is 5 years under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 701-108(2)(d). No separate, claim-type-specific sub-rule was provided in the jurisdiction data you supplied—so the calculator should use this general 5-year period as the default.

1) Open the calculator

1. Go to the primary CTA: /tools/wrongful-death-damages
2. Select the jurisdiction:

   • Choose Hawaii (US-HI) if DocketMath prompts you.

If you’re already on the page, you can jump directly here: /tools/wrongful-death-damages.

2) Enter the event date(s) that anchor the damages run

Most wrongful death damages workflows depend on two kinds of date inputs:

• Date of death (often the key “start” date for downstream time calculations)
• Any additional timing inputs your version of DocketMath requests (for example, how long certain losses continued)

Tip: If DocketMath asks for a range (start/end), use the dates that match how your case team defines the damages measurement window—not just the dates you have on hand.

3) Provide the economic inputs (losses and projections)

Wrongful death damages calculators usually separate damages into buckets such as:

• Lost earnings / income
• Loss of support
• Medical and related costs (if included in the wrongful death damages template)
• Other specified components included in the template

In DocketMath, enter amounts as requested and keep a consistent basis—for example:

• Use annual dollars consistently if the fields expect annual figures.
• If there’s a choice between lump sum and per-period inputs, follow the field instructions exactly.

Input consistency checklist

4) Add non-economic or family-impact inputs (if enabled)

Depending on the DocketMath wrongful death template, there may be options for non-economic impacts modeled via selections or multipliers.

If you see choices like:

• none / partial / substantial, or
• a multiplier or modeling intensity setting,

treat those as modeling parameters. They can change outputs significantly even if all economic inputs stay the same.

5) Set the SOL framework for Hawaii (jurisdiction-aware rule)

In DocketMath, make sure the jurisdiction-aware setup reflects Hawaii’s:

• General/default SOL period: 5 years
• Reference: **HRS § 701-108(2)(d)

Because no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found in the jurisdiction data you provided, don’t substitute a different SOL period. Use the 5-year general default as the calculator’s rule.

Practical effect on the output:
Even if damages arithmetic is numeric, SOL can affect the eligibility window for certain time-based losses. DocketMath may:

• Trim included time periods to fit within the allowable 5-year default, and/or
• Flag when your entered measurement window extends beyond what the SOL rule permits.

6) Review the “what changed” indicators

Before you finalize, look for summary sections that show:

• Damages totals by category
• Any time window adjustments due to SOL
• The effective date range used in the calculation

If the output looks reduced after SOL logic is applied:

• Compare the pre-SOL assumed window (if displayed) versus
• the post-SOL included window

7) Export or save the run

When the tool generates a report:

• Save the run with a descriptive name, such as: “HI wrongful death damages — SOL default applied”
• Export the worksheet/report if your workflow requires sharing

Keeping the report helps you explain why a component was excluded or time-limited under the Hawaii 5-year default SOL.

Common pitfalls

Wrongful death damages runs often go wrong for a few repeat reasons. Use this checklist for Hawaii (US-HI).

• missing a required input
• using a stale rate or rule
• ignoring calendar or holiday adjustments
• skipping documentation of assumptions

Capture the source for each input so another team member can verify the same result quickly.

SOL and timing mistakes

Input-format problems

Category misunderstanding

Try it

Use this short workflow to sanity-check your setup in DocketMath:

1. Open the tool at /tools/wrongful-death-damages
2. Set jurisdiction to **Hawaii (US-HI)
3. Enter:

   • Date of death
   • The core economic inputs required by the wrongful death template (for example, lost earnings/loss of support components)
4. For the first run, keep modeled/non-economic multipliers at their defaults
5. Run the calculation and review:

   • Total damages
   • Category breakdown
   • Any SOL/time-window adjustment evidence based on the 5-year default from **HRS § 701-108(2)(d)

Then do one controlled comparison:

• Change one variable only (e.g., income amount or the length of the loss measurement window) and confirm the output changes in the direction you expect.

If SOL trimming is active, you should see output evidence such as:

• A reduced included time window
• A note/flag indicating the SOL period was applied
• A category primarily affected by timing (often time-based earnings/support)

If you don’t see any SOL-related effect, double-check:

• Whether the measurement window you entered actually extends beyond 5 years, and
• Whether your date inputs map to the tool’s expected anchors.

Related reading

• Wrongful Death Damages Estimator Guide for Alabama
• Wrongful Death Damages Estimator Guide for Arizona
• Wrongful Death Damages Estimator Guide for Colorado