Wrongful death attorneys specialize in bringing wrongful death lawsuits against persons and/or companies who acted negligently, recklessly, or intentionally in order to cause a person's death. Through a wrongful death lawsuit, the immediate family of a deceased person can recover not only for expenses directly related to the death, but also for the loss of family income and/or support as a result of the death. This loss of future support is commonly referred to as pecuniary damages, and the amount of these damages will depend greatly on the circumstances of each particular case, as well as the wrongful death laws of the state, which can differ somewhat from one jurisdiction to the next. For instance, the death of a young college student with little or no income history would usually result in a lower amount of pecuniary damages than the death of a successful, middle-aged business owner whose income is the sole support for his wife and two children.