A wrongful death lawyer represents families who have lost a loved one as a result of another party’s negligence or wrongful act. A wrongful death is defined as “where a person’s death is caused by a wrongful conduct, carelessness, failure, or breach of contract or guarantee.” In these instances, the deceased person’s estate may file a civil lawsuit. Wrongful death lawyers generally have experience with personal injury claims in addition to civil suits. Tampa personal injury lawyers can assist families in holding negligent parties financially liable for the losses they have endured.
Identifying Who Is Responsible in Wrongful Death Cases
Driving while inebriated is deemed negligent behaviour in the eyes of the law. Choosing to drive after drinking or using drugs is a conscious decision to endanger others. A wrongful death lawsuit may be filed in the event of a fatality caused by an automobile accident involving an inebriated driver.
In a wrongful death lawsuit, establishing blame does not necessitate the responsible party’s criminal liability. Even though the physician’s conduct is not deemed criminal, medical malpractice cases frequently call for civil culpability. For example, a physician may have failed to properly diagnose cancer, resulting in your loved one’s death due to delayed treatment. Failure to diagnose cancer by medical workers is not a criminal offence. Treatment providers, on the other hand, may be held civilly liable for expenses and damages incurred as a result of the patient’s death.
Cases of Wrongful Death vs. Other Personal Injury Cases
A wrongful death suit must generally include the decedent’s potential to make a personal injury claim if they had lived. In other words, the accident’s circumstances would have allowed the decedent to file a personal injury lawsuit. Here are a few examples:
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Murder and manslaughter
are both crimes. If a physical attack results in the death of a loved one, family members may be eligible to bring a wrongful death lawsuit. The victim could have filed a personal injury case if they hadn’t died. The victim would be entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses, missed wages while recovering, and, in some cases, punitive damages.
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Malpractice in the medical field.
When a doctor conducts an unnecessary procedure and the patient dies, the doctor may be held liable for wrongful death. The victim would have been able to pursue a civil case if they had survived the medical operation. The purpose of the personal injury lawsuit is to hold the doctor accountable for their mistakes.
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Negligent behaviour.
A truck driver may be held liable for wrongful death if he or she fails to observe safety requirements and causes an accident. The driver may be held liable if they fail to guarantee that their load is secure, causing them to lose control and resulting in the death of another person. The victim would have been entitled to compensation if they had lived. Medical bills, lost wages, and other losses directly caused by the accident may be recovered by the victim.
Survivors of several types of accidents may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim. Mishaps on building sites caused by unsafe conditions, accidents involving defective products, or brain damage received in a car or truck accident are just a few examples. A lawyer should be consulted by anyone who believes their loved one’s death could have been avoided. An attorney who is familiar with wrongful death laws can assist you in navigating your claim.
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Who is eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit?
Only the personal representative of an estate is allowed to launch a wrongful death claim. A personal representative could be someone named in the will of the decedent. The court will appoint a personal representative if there is no will. On behalf of surviving family members, the personal representative files a claim. The person who files the case is responsible for submitting the names of any survivors who may be eligible to receive compensation as a result of the litigation.
Suits for wrongful death can be brought on behalf of a surviving parent, spouse, child, or blood family who was financially reliant on the decedent. Additionally, if the deceased parent was identified prior to birth and was contributing to their support, the kid of an unmarried person may benefit.
Once the personal representative has been determined, a wrongful death lawyer can be contacted to launch a claim. On behalf of the deceased and their surviving family members, the case has been filed. The case will mostly benefit the person’s remaining family members, such as their parents, spouses, and children.
Wrongful death lawsuits can be used to recover a variety of damages.
A person is entitled to damages if they survive an injury or disease caused by another’s negligence or deliberate action. Typically, these damages cover medical expenses such as rehabilitation, diagnostic testing, and prescriptions that are required to aid in their recovery.
They are also entitled to compensation for time spent away from work as a result of their injury. They may also be able to recover non-monetary and monetary damages. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the same damages may be recovered. Wrongful death lawsuits can enable for the recovery of costs associated with the death, such as funeral and burial expenses.
Other non-economic losses may be available to family members. The nature of these damages makes estimating the amount of compensation a family may get challenging. A child who loses a parent, for example, loses the parent’s company, guidance, and future inheritance. In addition to other damages, a surviving spouse may be entitled to compensation for the loss of companionship.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits: Establishing Proof
To be successful in a wrongful death claim, similar to a personal injury lawsuit, certain facts must be established. First and foremost, you must understand that the person who caused your loved one’s death did not have to face criminal charges. You must, however, be able to show that the person’s actions were reckless, willful, or negligent.
You must also establish that:
- the person’s reckless, willful, or negligent behaviour resulted in the death of your loved one.
- the death caused you or a member of your family to incur damages as a result of the death.
To establish negligence, one must show that the person who caused the death did not exercise reasonable care. A person acting with reasonable care did so in the same way that any other person would have done in the same situation. When a motorist approaches a pedestrian in a crosswalk, for example, the driver slows down and comes to a complete stop. In these situations, reasonable drivers will bring their vehicle to a complete stop until the pedestrian has exited the street safely.
A distracted driver who misses the pedestrian at the crossing due to a text message is not acting properly. To put it another way, texting while driving could be considered careless. In conclusion, texting while driving is careless behaviour since a reasonable individual recognises that operating a motor vehicle while distracted is harmful and irresponsible.