When a person dies due to the negligence or wrongful act of another, a wrongful death lawsuit may be filed. Wrongful death claims seek to compensate the surviving family members for their loss, such as emotional suffering, financial burden, and loss of companionship.
A wrongful death attorney can assist the family members in filing the lawsuit and obtaining the compensation they deserve. These attorneys specialize in the legal aspects of wrongful death claims and can help families navigate the complex legal system.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant’s actions or inactions caused the death. This can include various scenarios, such as medical malpractice, product liability, car accidents, and workplace accidents.
The compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit may include various damages, such as funeral expenses, medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. The damages awarded in a wrongful death case vary from state to state and depend on the case’s specific circumstances.
Working with an experienced wrongful death attorney is important to protect your legal rights and receive the maximum compensation available. These attorneys can investigate the case, gather evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies on behalf of the family members.
While a wrongful death lawsuit cannot bring back the lost loved one, it can help provide some financial stability and closure for the surviving family members. A wrongful death attorney can provide compassionate and knowledgeable guidance throughout the legal process and help family members move forward with their lives.
The laws for a wrongful death lawsuit will vary by state. However, in most states, a wrongful death lawsuit must be started by a representative of the surviving family members. This representative is usually the executor of the estate.
State law will also determine who is considered a surviving family member. Different family members that may qualify include:
Every state gives the spouse and all minor children, biological and adopted, to seek compensation for their spouse or parent.
The parents of an unmarried child, minor or adult, can seek wrongful death compensation for losing their loved one.
Some states have made it possible for people who are life partners, live as a common law married couple, or are adult relatives of a deceased person that relied on that person for support to make a compensation claim.
Some states would allow distant family members, like siblings, grandparents, and non-family members, to claim wrongful death if over 50 percent of their financial support came from the deceased.
Some states will allow for a wrongful death suit against the negligent party for the loss of a fetus. However, you must consult a wrongful death attorney to see if your state law allows this type of lawsuit.
A wrongful death action can be taken against almost any person or entity that was the cause of the accident that caused the death. This includes:
In some states, the government and government agencies are immune from wrongful death cases. You must check with an attorney if this applies to our case.
Congress had also passed a law stating that manufacturers of generic drugs cannot be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death for generic drugs because the FDA had previously approved the medication as safe when it was initially released.
Compensation for wrongful death is very similar to what can be awarded in a personal injury claim. Every state has different laws regarding compensation for wrongful death actions, so you will need to speak with a lawyer to see which types of compensation apply to your case.
Several types of economic damages may apply to your wrongful death case. These include:
Economic damages will vary greatly depending on the decedent’s age, the support they provided, and other factors. You will need to speak with a wrongful death attorney to understand better what types of damages you will receive based on the facts of your case.
Non-economic damages are very subjective because placing a dollar figure on emotional losses is tough. However, the law allows you can seek non-economic damages for the following:
Only two states, Florida and Illinois, allow the surviving family members to seek damages for pain, suffering, and mental anguish that they have experienced due to the wrongful death.
Wrongful death lawsuits may have caps on the amount you can recover for pain and suffering. This will depend on the state in which you live. Speak with your attorney to determine what compensation applies to your case.
The Statute of Limitations does apply to wrongful death lawsuits. In most states, you have two years from death to seek compensation for losing your loved one. However, some states have a shorter time limit to file a claim.
It is always beneficial to speak with a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible after losing a loved one. This protects your right to seek compensation for a wrongful death case. Exceeding the time limit of the Statute of Limitations will prevent you from filing a compensation claim.
If you have lost your loved one to any type of negligence, whether from an accident or a defective product, certain surviving family members have the right to seek compensation for their loss. Compensation for wrongful death can help your family with the financial stability they need while recovering from this terrible loss.
If you are ready to speak to a wrongful death lawyer, please click on “Find a Lawyer,” We will connect you with lawyers in your area who can help you with a wrongful death claim. There is no reason to delay; schedule your free consultation today.
Truck accidents are never simple issues. These accidents often cause catastrophic injuries for those in the smaller passenger vehicle and are responsible for many accident-related deaths.
To make matters more complex, federal and state laws regulate the trucking industry, which often has multiple responsible parties and can have more than one insurance company involved in the compensation claim.
This is where a truck accident lawyer can help. They can assist you in navigating the complex legal and regulatory system of the trucking industry and help you secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.
A skilled truck accident lawyer will be familiar with the laws and regulations governing the trucking industry and know how to identify potential violations that may have contributed to the accident.
A truck accident attorney will work to establish liability and help you obtain maximum compensation for your losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
They will also have experience dealing with the insurance companies involved in the compensation claim. They will know how to negotiate on your behalf to ensure you receive a fair settlement.
Sometimes, they may need to take the case to court to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a trucking accident, it is important to seek the guidance and representation of an experienced truck accident lawyer. They can help you protect your rights, navigate the complex legal system, and secure fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
Trucking accidents can happen for any reason. However, a few reasons are more common than others. Some of the most common reasons for trucking accidents include the following:
Tight deadlines are one of the leading causes of driver fatigue. Truck drivers with fatigue pose a threat to other drivers because;
Some drivers will use caffeine and other stimulants to stay alert while driving when they are fatigued. These stimulants may wake the driver, but fatigue still diminishes their driving skills.
Improperly maintained trucks and trailers can lead to an accident. Drivers put a lot of mileage on these trucks, and maintenance is required more often. Bad tires, brakes, or lighting can lead to an accident.
Trailers that have been hooked up improperly also present a danger. Trailers loaded incorrectly can also cause a truck to jackknife or tip over.
Indeed, having legal representation is critical for anyone involved in a trucking accident. As previously mentioned, these accidents are complex and can have multiple responsible parties, such as the truck driver, trucking company, or manufacturer.
A skilled truck accident lawyer can investigate the accident, review evidence, and determine who is liable for the accident. They can also handle negotiations with insurance companies to ensure you receive maximum compensation for your losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Additionally, having a truck accident lawyer can help protect your rights and ensure you do not inadvertently waive any critical legal protections. The legal system can be complicated and intimidating, but a truck accident attorney can provide guidance and support throughout the legal process.
If you have been involved in a trucking accident, it is vital to seek legal representation as soon as possible. This can help to ensure that evidence is preserved and your rights are protected. Contact an experienced truck accident lawyer to discuss your case and options for pursuing compensation.
Title 49 of the Federal Code of Regulations is where you will find a bulk of the laws regarding the trucking industry. These regulations set the standards for the trucking industry, including owner-operators and company truck drivers.
These laws regulate everything from how many hours a driver can work daily to how much weight a truck can carry.
Drivers cannot work more than 60 hours in 7 consecutive days and cannot drive more than 11 hours in one day. Drivers must have a 10-hour break between shifts for rest, and if they take a day off during the week, they still cannot exceed 70 hours of driving time in an 8-day period.
Federal law requires that every driver keep a log book showing the hours they were operating a vehicle. Most log books are now digital records connected to the truck so that the log book records the time the vehicle is moving automatically.
Your attorney will investigate the driver’s logbook to see if they operate outside these guidelines. Violations of federal laws can hold additional penalties for the driver or trucking company.
State laws also affect the trucking industry. States have the right to determine how fast a truck can operate on its roads if there are designated truck lanes or routes that must be followed and may also have additional sleep or time off requirements for drivers. These laws will be evaluated for compliance when a truck accident occurs.
You may be surprised to know that when a trucking accident happens, the driver may not be the responsible party or could be one of many responsible parties for the event.
Parties that could be held responsible for a truck accident include:
The truck driver can be held responsible for the accident if it is found that they acted negligently behind the wheel. This applies to company drivers as well as owner-operators. Negligent actions can include failing to obey traffic laws to distracted driving.
Trucking companies often try to shield themselves from the responsibility of trucking actions by using independent drivers to move their goods. However, many factors must be addressed to see if the company still had responsibility for the accident.
Having an attorney manage your truck accident claim will ensure that the trucking company is evaluated for any responsibility for the accident, even if the driver was a contract driver.
The trucking industry is unique in the fact that many of the trailers that are on the roads are not owned by the driver or the trucking company that is managing the shipment. Many companies own trailers and contract truck companies to move their filled trailers.
If these companies do not adequately maintain these trailers, they can be held responsible for any accident resulting from trailer failure.
Trailers must be explicitly packed to ensure they move safely down the road. This includes weight distribution on the axles and ensuring the cargo is secured and will not move during transport. If the company that packed the trailer did not follow these guidelines, they could be held responsible for any accidents resulting from their negligence.
If the company performing maintenance on the truck and trailers can be found negligent if the maintenance work was not performed correctly or if the wrong parts were used.
If it is found that a wrong part was responsible for the accident, the manufacturer can be held responsible for the accident. This can include the original manufacturer or any after-market parts used on the vehicle.
After a truck accident, there are several steps you should take to ensure your rights as an injury victim are protected.
The first and most important step is to contact emergency services and get immediate medical attention. The injuries from a truck accident can be severe, so it is essential to seek medical evaluation as soon as possible.
Next, you must document everything you can remember about the accident. This can include taking pictures at the accident scene, noting the weather and road conditions, and writing down any details you remember about the incident. This information can help build a solid case to support your compensation claim.
Contacting a truck accident attorney as soon as possible is crucial. Trucking accidents are complex issues, and it will always be in your best interest to have legal representation. An experienced attorney can help gather evidence, build a strong case, and negotiate with insurance companies to ensure you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
During the investigation, your attorney may also be able to identify additional parties responsible for the accident, such as the trucking company or the truck’s manufacturer. This can significantly impact the outcome of your case and the compensation you receive.
The most critical steps after a truck accident include the following:
By taking these steps, you can protect your rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
Being involved in a truck accident is traumatizing. When trying to manage your injuries, you should not face all of the complicated legal issues after the accident yourself.
To be connected with a truck accident attorney in your area, please click the “Find a Lawyer” button. We will connect you with local attorneys with the skills you need to manage a trucking accident claim.
The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that runs through your backbone(spine) and is responsible for all your body’s functions. The nervous system carries messages from your brain to all body areas. Damage to your spinal cord can result in loss of bodily functions, paralysis, or loss of sensations.
These injuries are devastating to the injury victim and their families. Injuries to the spinal cord will require extensive therapies and life-long care. Families face extraordinary medical costs when caring for a spinal cord injury.
If your spinal cord was injured during an accident that was not your fault, you can seek compensation for your injury and losses.
Spinal cord injuries are always a result of a traumatic injury or blunt force contact to the spine. Car accidents, followed by falls, are the most frequent cause of spinal cord injuries. A tiny percentage of spinal cord injuries are attributed to violent acts, sports activities, or medically related injuries.
Spinal cord injuries can have significant and long-lasting impacts on individuals’ lives. As a result, lawsuits may arise in various situations where negligence or wrongful actions have led to such injuries. Here are some common scenarios where lawsuits may be associated with spinal cord injuries:
Spinal cord injuries often occur due to accidents, such as car crashes, slip and falls, construction site accidents, or sports-related incidents. In these cases, if the injury was caused by another party’s negligence or reckless behavior, the injured person may file a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Spinal cord injuries can also result from medical mistakes, such as surgical errors, anesthesia errors, or misdiagnoses. If a healthcare professional’s negligence or failure to adhere to the standard of care caused the spinal cord injury, the affected patient may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Defective products, including medical devices, vehicles, or safety equipment, can sometimes lead to spinal cord injuries. In such cases, the injured person may pursue a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of the faulty product.
Spinal cord injuries can occur on the job, particularly in industries with hazardous conditions. Employees who sustain spinal cord injuries due to workplace accidents may be eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim, seeking benefits for medical expenses and lost wages. In some cases, if a third party (not the employer) was responsible for the injury, a personal injury lawsuit may be pursued against that party.
Property owners have a duty to maintain safe conditions on their premises. Suppose a spinal cord injury is caused by a dangerous condition, such as poorly maintained premises, inadequate security, or unsafe facilities. In that case, the injured party may bring a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner or manager.
Rarely, spinal cord injuries may result from intentional harm, such as assault, battery, or other criminal acts. In these instances, the injured party may file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator seeking compensation for damages.
Comparative negligence is a defense strategy that the insurance company may use to show that the injury victim is partially at fault for their own spinal cord injury.
The insurance company may argue that the injury victim was not exercising reasonable care and caution when they suffered the spinal cord injury. They may argue that the victim’s actions contributed to the accident, and therefore, they are partially responsible for their injury.
This defense strategy is commonly used to reduce the compensation the insurance company must pay.
Accepted risk is another defense strategy that insurance companies may use to avoid paying spinal cord injury claims.
The insurance company may argue that the injury victim knew of the potential risks associated with a particular activity and assumed the risk.
This defense strategy is commonly used in cases where the injured victim participates in high-risk activities such as skydiving, bungee jumping, or extreme sports.
If the insurance company can successfully prove that the injury victim accepted the risks associated with the activity, they may not be liable for the injury victim’s spinal cord injury.
Other common excuses insurance companies make to avoid paying spinal cord injury claims to include disputing the injury’s severity or the cost of the required medical care and therapies.
The insurance company may argue that the spinal cord injury is not as severe as the injury victim claims, and therefore, they do not need as much medical care and therapies as they request.
The insurance company may argue that the medical care and therapies are unnecessary or too costly. In these cases, the insurance company may attempt to negotiate a lower settlement with the injury victim, leaving them with insufficient compensation to cover their needs.
It is essential for injury victims with spinal cord injuries to seek the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney to protect their rights and secure the compensation they deserve.
An experienced attorney can help injury victims gather the necessary evidence to prove liability, establish the full extent of their injuries and the costs of their medical care and therapies, and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company.
Spinal cord injuries can devastate an injury victim’s life, and insurance companies are often aggressive in their efforts to avoid paying claims for these injuries.
It is crucial for injury victims to be aware of the common excuses insurance companies make to avoid paying claims and seek legal representation to protect their rights and secure the compensation they deserve.
One of the tactics that the insurance company will try to use is comparative negligence. They will look for ways to show that the injury victim was partially responsible for the accident or injury.
Suppose they can show that the injury victim was even partially at fault for the accident or injury. In that case, they can significantly reduce the claim’s value or deny it altogether.
The insurance company may try to say that the injury victim willingly accepted risk in participating in an activity, such as rock climbing. Therefore they are not obligated to cover the injury.
Having a spinal cord injury attorney manage your compensation claim can help you avoid complex issues like these with your case.
When a person has been injured in an accident that was not their fault, they have the right to seek damages from the responsible party. These damages include economic and non-economic forms of compensation.
When an injury includes a spinal cord, it is easy to understand that the compensation package will be much larger than other types of injuries. This is because most spinal cord injuries require lifelong medical care and loss of earning capacity.
If you have been involved in an accident that has damaged your spinal cord, you may be entitled to one or more of the following types of compensation:
Additional forms of compensation may be available to the injury victim based on the facts of their case. Speaking with an attorney will help establish the types of compensation that apply to your claim.
Spinal cord injuries are catastrophic events that will change the injury victim’s life. Insurance companies will be very aggressive about these types of claims, and it will always be in the injured party’s best interest to have legal representation for their claim.
To get help with your case, click “Find a Lawyer,” and we will connect you with attorneys who manage spinal cord injury claims. You do not have to face the insurance companies on your own. Schedule a free case evaluation today.
Your medical care provider’s actions or inactions will directly impact your health as a patient. If you have been harmed by the medical care you received, you may be a victim of medical malpractice.
Medical malpractice happens when a medical care provider acts in a way that is not the accepted standard of care for a medical condition.
Medical malpractice can happen in many different ways. However, some ways are more common than others. These types of malpractice include:
It must be understood that medical care that is out of the Standard of Care and causes harm to a patient is medical malpractice. You must speak with a medical malpractice attorney if you believe a medical care provider has harmed you.
Doctors are obligated to inform patients of risks associated with a medical procedure so the patient can make an informed decision about the procedure. They are not required to disclose every potential risk because that is an unknown factor, but they must disclose the common risks of any procedure.
To determine if your injury from a medical procedure was a risk that should have been disclosed, your attorney must answer the question: Would another medical care professional have disclosed this issue? If the answer is yes, and you were not informed, malpractice has occurred.
If a nurse makes a medical mistake that leads to harming the patient, the hospital or care facility is most often held responsible for their actions. Of course, this will depend on the nature of the mistake, their employment standings, and any contracts the nurse may have signed with the facility where they work. Many nurses carry malpractice insurance on themselves when they work as independent contractors.
Additionally, a doctor in charge of the patient’s care may be held responsible for the nurse’s actions if they had control to prevent the malpractice from happening but did not act accordingly. You will need to speak with a medical malpractice attorney to determine who the responsible parties would be when malpractice happens by a nurse.
If you are a victim of medical malpractice, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. The types of compensation that you are entitled to will depend on the facts of your case. The most common forms of compensation conclude:
Other forms of compensation may be available to you. For an accurate look at the types of compensation you are entitled to for your injury, you will need to speak with a medical malpractice attorney in your state.
Some states have enacted laws that cap the amount you can receive for pain and suffering with a medical malpractice suit. Your attorney will tell you if this cap applies to your case. This will not impact any other area of your compensation claim.
Sometimes, the court will award punitive damages for a medical malpractice case. These damages are awarded independently of any other form of compensation and are meant as a punishment. By imposing this monetary punishment, the responsible party will understand the seriousness of their negligence.
Punitive damages are only awarded if the court finds that the malpractice occurred due to willful intent or blatant disregard for the patient’s well-being. This type of compensation is rare in medical malpractice suits, but it can happen.
Medical malpractice suits differ from other personal injury lawsuits regarding the Statute of Limitations. In a regular personal injury suit, a person must file a compensation claim between six months and two years, depending on state laws.
Injuries from medical care, however, may not be as apparent as other personal injuries. There may be a delay before the patient realizes they have been harmed. Because of this, the Statute of Limitations starts when the patient discovers they have been harmed.
Contacting a medical malpractice attorney is important as soon as you realize you have been harmed by the medical care you received. Delaying your compensation claim can put you past the time limits of the Statute of Limitations. If you miss this cut-off time, you will not have any right to seek compensation.
If you or your loved one has been harmed by the medical care you received, it is time to speak with an attorney. To be connected with a medical malpractice attorney in your area, click the “Find a Lawyer” button on this page. We will connect you with an attorney in your area that can help you with your case.