How to run Wrongful Death Damages in DocketMath for Wyoming

Step-by-step

This guide shows how to run Wrongful Death Damages calculations in DocketMath for Wyoming (US‑WY), using jurisdiction-aware settings and Wyoming’s statutory structure. It’s written to be practical—think of it as a checklist for building the calculator inputs and interpreting outputs, not as legal advice.

1) Open the Wyoming wrongful death calculator

Start at the primary CTA:

• /tools/wrongful-death-damages (Wrongful Death Damages)

When you land on the page, confirm the calculator is set to Wyoming (US‑WY). If DocketMath prompts you to choose a jurisdiction, select US‑WY.

2) Confirm the Wyoming legal “hook” for wrongful death

Wyoming’s wrongful death framework is codified at:

• Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101

That statute establishes the core concept: when the death of a person is caused by a wrongful act, neglect, or default that would have entitled the injured party to sue had death not ensued, the person who would have been liable if death had not occurred is liable in an action for damages after death.

Important for running the tool: Wyoming’s statute is the general/default wrongful death cause of action, and this guide uses it as the governing period/rule unless DocketMath separately asks for additional categorization.

3) Enter core case inputs (the calculator’s “math drivers”)

In DocketMath, you’ll typically work through sections that map to economic and damages components. Use your case facts to fill each input. Common input groups include:

• Decedent’s period of income loss (how long earnings are treated as continuing in the damages model)
• Earnings inputs (annual wages, employment type assumptions, or income estimates)
• Discounting / future value assumptions (if the tool asks for a rate)
• Life expectancy / end-of-loss date inputs (if provided as options)
• Share or beneficiary allocation (if the tool supports “who receives what”)

Because you’re running Wyoming, keep your assumptions aligned with the baseline wrongful-death framework under Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101: wrongful act → liability as if the injured party could have sued → damages pursued through a wrongful death action.

4) Choose the Wyoming-appropriate assumptions in DocketMath

DocketMath’s jurisdiction-aware rules typically control:

• How the wrongful death model is framed for US‑WY (based on Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101)
• Any default time horizon the tool uses when you don’t override it
• Whether the tool expects you to supply an end date for the damages window

If the tool offers toggles such as “use default wrongful death window” vs. “custom dates,” start with defaults unless the case record clearly calls for custom start/end dates.

If you override defaults, record your reasoning in your notes so you can reproduce the calculation later.

5) Run the calculation and capture the output

After entering inputs, click Calculate (or the equivalent button). You should receive results such as:

• Total wrongful death damages (typically a sum of economic loss items included by the calculator)
• Component breakdown (e.g., earnings loss and other included categories, if present)
• Intermediate values that explain how totals were reached

Use the breakdown to sanity-check outcomes based on your input choices. Quick checks:

• If you lengthen the loss period, does total damages increase?
• If you increase annual earnings, does the earnings-loss component increase proportionally (or in the model’s expected way)?
• If there is a discount rate input and it’s exposed, do totals shift when you adjust it?

6) Adjust inputs to create a reproducible “version history”

A good workflow often includes multiple runs, such as:

• Version A: default Wyoming wrongful death window
• Version B: custom start/end dates based on the case record
• Version C: alternative earnings scenario (for example, actual recent earnings vs. projected earnings)

Because DocketMath is designed for repeatable calculations:

• Save or export the results when possible.
• If not, capture key inputs before changing them.

7) Tie the output to the Wyoming statutory framework (without overclaiming)

When you summarize results, anchor the concept to Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101:

• Liability for wrongful death exists when a wrongful act/neglect/default would have supported a personal injury action had death not occurred.
• The wrongful death action addresses damages arising from that death.

Then keep the rest factual and tool-centered:

• “DocketMath calculates [component(s)] based on the selected loss period and earnings inputs,”
• rather than “this is exactly what a court will award.”

A gentle disclaimer is appropriate here: calculators help organize assumptions and quantify modeled components, but they are not a substitute for legal review.

Common pitfalls

Use this checklist to avoid mistakes that commonly derail wrongful death damage calculations in Wyoming workflows.

• Using the wrong jurisdiction code

  • Verify you’re set to US‑WY before running totals.
• Assuming a special wrongful death “sub-rule” exists

  • For Wyoming, this workflow relies on the general wrongful death framework under Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101, not a presumed alternate period.
• Leaving the loss window at an ill-fitting default

  • Defaults are useful, but if your facts clearly indicate different start/end timing, enter custom dates carefully and consistently.
• Changing multiple inputs at once

  • If you change earnings, loss period, and discount rate in one run, it becomes harder to explain why totals moved.
• Misreading component outputs

  • Breakdowns may include both “raw” and “discounted” figures or similar intermediate outputs. Use totals and the breakdown consistently to avoid double counting in your narrative.
• Failing to keep runs reproducible

  • Save exports/screenshots and record the key input differences between versions.

Try it

Follow this quick “dry run” to confirm you can operate the Wyoming calculator end-to-end.

• Go to /tools/wrongful-death-damages
• Select Wyoming (US‑WY)
• Enter:

  • A single earnings scenario (use one basis only)
  • A damages window (either default or custom dates)
  • Any required discounting or time-horizon inputs the tool requests
• Click Calculate
• Verify:

  • Total damages appear
  • There’s a component breakdown
  • Adjusting the loss period changes totals in the expected direction
• Save the run (or record key inputs) so you can compare with a second version

If the calculator asks for fewer inputs than you expect, it may be relying on built-in defaults. In that case, rerun after changing only one variable (such as the loss period) to confirm what the default controls.

Finally, when you write up the output in your case materials, cite the statutory anchor:

• Wyo. Stat. § 1-38-101 (wrongful death liability framework)

Keep it tool-centered: “Using DocketMath with US‑WY settings and the selected inputs, the calculator produces…” rather than promising a legal entitlement.

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