A Tragic Case of Wrongful Death

It’s never easy when word reaches a family that a loved one has been lost.  The grief is overwhelming and, unfortunately, there’s never enough time provided for the family to recover from this news.

When someone else was at fault for the death of a loved one, the natural question is to wonder why?  What could’ve been done to prevent this senseless tragedy?

In the wake of a fatal accident, the victim’s family could quickly face medical bills, funeral bills, and the loss of the financial support the deceased victim would have provided had he or she been able to keep working.

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A husband or wife, son or daughter, or even parent may have come to depend on the support of the victim.  Now they are only left with the memory of their loved one.

When Wrongful Death Claims are Necessary

In these cases, a wrongful death claim may be the answer for a family in mourning.  A single person may have been responsible for the death of your loved one.  An entire company or corporation may shoulder the blame for what happened.

If this is the case, the Law Office of Steers & Associates can help a surviving family member file a wrongful death claim to protect the future of the remaining family.

Who Can Make A Wrongful Death Claim?

California State Statue specifically allows for only a few, certain people to file a claim in the death of a family member.

  • The deceased person’s spouse.
  • The deceased person’s domestic partner.
  • The deceased person’s children.

There are also provisions for other family members who can prove that they were dependant on the victim to file a lawsuit. These can include:

  • The deceased person’s parents.
  • The deceased person’s stepchildren.
  • The deceased person’s putative spouse (this covers a person who thought they were married to the deceased victim but may not have been legally married due to a technicality)

Common Instances of Wrongful Death

There are many types of accidents that can rob us of our time with a loved one.  So many of these tragedies seem unforeseeable, but in a wrongful death case, the goal is to prove that a person or corporation should have been aware of the dangers that lead to the accident and was negligent by not preventing it.

  • Many of these accidents are all too common around Los Angeles:
  • Vehicle, Motorcycle, Bus, Bicycle Accidents
  • Medical Negligence
  • Work-related Accidents
  • Boating & Plane Accidents
  • Sporting Accidents
  • Dangerous & Defective Products
  • Unsafe Properties
  • Damages in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

A family that has lost a loved one should get a grace period on the bills that pile up in the wake of a tragedy, but that rarely happens. The State of California does provide a two-year deadline from the time of death to file a lawsuit against those who may be liable in the accident.

It’s a way to protect the family left behind with support now and in the future. A family can often get compensation for these and other losses:

  • Death and funeral expenses
  • Loss of future earnings
  • Medical bills
  • Physical pain and mental suffering
  • Property damages
  • Punitive damages (damages awarded above financial losses to punish those at fault in the accident)

Contact a Sherman Oaks Wrongful Death Attorney

If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident and you believe negligence is involved, it’s important to contact a wrongful death attorney who has experience in these cases. Understandably, you will still be grieving your loss and it’ll be difficult to think about legal matters so soon after the tragedy. An attorney can help file a wrongful death claim for the family so that they can focus on finding some closure.

The best thing to do when a family member is lost to a deadly accident is to talk to a Sherman Oaks Personal Injury Attorney who understands the law and has experience getting the family left behind the compensation they deserve.

Call the Law Firm of Steers & Associates at 800 824 5416 or click here to contact us online. We have attorneys with years of experience dealing with every type of personal injury, and we get results against the insurance companies and their highly-paid lawyers. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.

 

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