Truck Accidents and Wrongful Death
When you’re in need of a truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD trusts to represent them in a wrongful death suit, consider contacting Cohen & Cohen For more than 20 years, our legal team has represented victims of personal injury cases and families of loved ones who lost their lives in vehicle accidents through no fault of their own.
If you are considering filing a wrongful death suit, you may have a lot of questions. And because this is likely an emotionally difficult time, you may be best served by retaining a legal representative who can look out for you and your family’s best interests. The attorneys at Cohen & Cohen have handled more than 5,000 personal injury cases over the years and have extensive experience representing accident victims. While we encourage you to come into our office for more detailed answers specific to your unique situation, we offer here some general answers to common questions about wrongful death suits:
What is a wrongful death suit?
When someone dies due to another person’s negligent actions, that person can be sued for damages. A truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD recommends can represent the family of a loved one killed in an truck related accident that was caused by someone else. The following conditions must exist for a wrongful death suit to move forward through the courts:
- You must be able to prove who was at fault.
- You must be able to prove that they were negligent in their actions, thus leading to the wrongful death.
- The deceased’s spouse, children, beneficiaries, or dependent(s) survived.
- The death resulted in financial loss for any of the survivors.
Can I file a wrongful death suit if my loved one was killed in an accident with a commercial truck driver?
A top truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD has to offer may be able to advise you on whether or not to file a wrongful death suit. Our attorneys at Cohen & Cohen have extensive experience in this area. The following scenarios illustrate some instances when you might file a wrongful death suit after losing your family member:
1. If a piece of equipment on a commercial truck came loose and caused the accident.
- This may require proving that the equipment manufacturer was knowledgeable about the defect but did nothing to repair or address that issue.
- A good truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD residents turn to for wrongful death suits will likely research which if any equipment manufacturers should be named as defendants in the lawsuit.
2. If the trucker was forced by his or her employer to work more hours than is legally acceptable and then fell asleep at the wheel which caused the accident.
- A truck driver killed your loved one in a road rage accident.
What damages can your family include in a wrongful death suit?
When you discuss your case with a truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD community members approve of, you can request a detailed accounting of the financial restitution your attorney has in mind. Here are some expenses that are commonly claimed in wrongful death suits:
1. Pre-death medical expenses. This can include:
- Ambulance transportation.
- Medical costs associated with efforts to save your loved one’s life including medications, surgery, the hospital room, x-rays, and more.
2. Post-death expenses. A Greenbelt MD truck accident lawyer may be able to help you determine exactly what costs might be included in a wrongful death suit. They may include:
- Funeral expenses.
- Burial costs.
- Paperwork fees including death certificates and public notices.
- Lost wages. The amount of money your loved one would have earned if they had lived is considered lost wages.
- Loss of benefits. If your loved one died before they qualified to receive a pension, the value of that pension may be included as an expense. Loss of benefits can also include medical coverage that he or she provided to family members through their insurance policy.
Can I sue anyone I believe is at fault for causing my loved one to die?
More than one person or company may share guilt for your loved one’s fatal traffic accident. However, in a wrongful death suit, just as in a criminal case, you must be able to prove guilt. Any truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD families hire will have to prove culpability on the part of the guilty parties. Negligence is the key term in a wrongful death suit. Accidents can happen that are nobody’s fault, so to collect damages from a person or company, your attorney must prove that they were negligent.
A truck accident lawyer in Greenbelt MD may be able to more fully address this question as it pertains to your particular circumstances. One of our attorneys at Cohen & Cohen can sit down with you and discuss the details of your case.
Statute of Limitations
There is a limited window of time during which you can pursue a wrongful death claim which is why you should immediately retain a truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD believes in. When you hire an attorney from Cohen & Cohen, he or she can help make sure that your claim is filed in time.
Contact us to arrange a no-cost meeting with one of our attorneys to discuss pursuing a wrongful death suit to seek compensation for the untimely death of your loved one. A truck accident lawyer Greenbelt MD families are grateful for may be able to help you recover the compensation you and your loved ones deserve.
