Wrongful Death
If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, insurance claims are the last thing you want to think about. Often, family members do not immediately understand the effect a wrongful death can have on their lives, so contacting a knowledgeable wrongful death attorney is a smart move. While money can’t replace the loss of a family member, once your bills begin accumulating, a settlement can help you feel financially secure and help bring closure and a peace of mind.
A wrongful death happens when someone is killed because of negligence or misconduct of another individual or company. A wrongful death suit may only be brought by the personal representative of the decedent's estate. This includes wives, husbands, children, parents, brothers, and sisters. The theory behind a wrongful death lawsuit is that the wrongful death, besides injuring the deceased, also hurts those who depended on the person who died for support—whether it was financially or emotionally. Wrongful death cases can range from workplace and automobile accidents to violence and deliberate murder.
For example, a pedestrian killed by a drunk driver; a teenager killed in a police chase, a woman murdered by her ex-husband, all fall into the wrongful death category. In cases like these, the families of the deceased can file wrongful death lawsuits their behalf. These types of suits are civil lawsuits and do not carry any criminal charges.
Wrongful death suits can recover the expenses associated with the actual death, along with other costs, such as loss of salary, benefits, pain and suffering, and/or other emotional injury that adds to the grief a family is undergoing. The damages awarded from a wrongful death suit belong to the estate and is typically passed on to different parties as directed by the decedent's will.
You should bear in mind that a wrongful death suit can be a timely and painful process. But trusted and experienced wrongful death attorneys like those at Findlay Law understand the frailty of wrongful death suits and will work to resolve your lawsuit in a sensitive, professional manner.
THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS