There’s nothing more painful than losing someone you love, especially because of an unexpected injury or accident. And sadly, grief often comes with additional financial burdens, from funeral costs and medical bills, to all the other complications of settling an estate. Only time can help with the pain of grief, but if your loved one died through the negligence or recklessness of another, then you should know that U.S. law provides certain protections for you, under wrongful death.
In fact, personal injury lawyers deal with wrongful death lawsuits all the time. So what exactly is a “wrongful death,” and how do you know if you can file such a claim? In short, a wrongful death is any death that was caused by the recklessness or negligence of a person or group. It’s one of the broader categories of claims that personal injury lawyers can handle. So what kind of tragedies are covered under wrongful death suits?
PI attorneys can help with cases involving:
Car accidents and truck accidents
Fatal drunk driving crashes
Elder abuse or negligent nursing homes
Medical malpractice
Product liability cases, including defective auto parts
Dangerous work conditions
Car, truck, and drunk driving accidents are some of the most common causes of wrongful death lawsuits. That’s because of the sheer volume of car crashes that occur each year. For instance, in 2018 alone, there were 36,560 fatal car crashes in the U.S., many of which involved drunk drivers, texting drivers, or negligent truckers. Not only that, but 4,136 people died that year in crashes with large trucks. You may have heard of a recent case involving comedian Tracy Morgan, who settled a claim against Wal-Mart after a near-death crash with one of their trucks.
If you believe that someone you love died in a situation like the ones described above, then personal injury attorneys may be able to help you recover the damages you’re entitled to under the law. The money you win may not make you “whole” again, but it can help cover medical bills, funeral and burial costs, lost earnings, and lost employee benefits. More importantly, wrongful death claims can also include damages for emotional losses, like pain and suffering.
Every year, tens of thousands such cases are filed by personal injury lawyers. And for anyone worried about long, painful court cases, you should know that 95-96% of personal injury cases are settled before going to trial. And while prior outcomes don’t guarantee a successful conclusion to your wrongful death suit, you should talk to personal injury lawyers near you about filing a claim.
Remember: most states have statutes of limitations on personal injury claims, so don’t wait too long before contacting a car accident lawyer or PI lawyer.