A Los Angeles judge has ruled Michael Jackson's mother Katherine can seek damages against concert promoters at AEG Live in her ongoing wrongful death lawsuit.

The Jackson family matriarch and the King of Pop's three children are suing AEG Live executives over allegations they were negligent in hiring incarcerated medic Conrad Murray to care for the singer as he prepared for his This Is It comeback shows in London in 2009.

The physician is currently serving time behind bars after he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the fatal dose of anaesthetic propofol which caused the superstar's death in 2009.

The Jacksons are seeking more than $40 billion for loss of future earnings and other damages, and on Friday (20Sep13), Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos declared Katherine Jackson has grounds to sue for compensation because the Thriller hitmaker provided for "everything" for his mother, including her household expenses and food.

Ruling in the elderly Jackson's favour, the judge dismissed the defence argument suggesting Katherine had no claim to damages because she had also been receiving $10,000 (£6,670) a month from another of her famous kids, Janet Jackson, for "some period of years".

Judge Palazuelos wrote, "There is no evidence that Janet Jackson's contributions negated Katherine Jackson's reliance - to some extent - on (Michael Jackson's) contributions for the necessaries of life."

Under California law, parents cannot seek damages for wrongful death if their child had other heirs, unless they can prove they were financially dependent on their offspring.

Closing arguments and jury deliberations in the five-month trial are expected to begin this week (begs23Sep13), once the prosecution rests its case.

AEG Live bosses have denied responsibility for hiring Murray.