Dealing with the death of a loved one is always hard, but it is even harder when the death shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Wrongful deaths happen far more frequently than we may want to realize. In the United States alone, hundreds of thousands of people die each year from wrongful deaths and many do not even make it to court. Although nobody ever wants to be in the situation of dealing with a wrongful death, it is important to know what to do in trying times like these. If you or someone you know believes they have suffered from a wrongful death in their family, you may benefit from reaching out to a professional law firm, such as Cohen & Cohen, who have served Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and the surrounding areas successfully for years.
What is a wrongful death?
A lot of people get confused in regards to what qualifies as a wrongful death. In an overwhelmingly sad time, it is hard to distinguish whether or not your loved one passed because of somebody else. While every single case is different, there are a few common threads throughout all wrongful death cases. Legally speaking, in order to have grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit, your loved one must have died as a direct result of somebody else’s negligence, misconduct or — less commonly — somebody else’s deliberate intention to cause harm. This, by itself, can still be a little confusing. Some of the most common examples of a wrongful death case include (but are not limited to):
- Car, motorcycle, and aviation accidents
- Accidents at the workplace (such as construction accidents)
- Medical malpractice
- Surgical injuries
- Faulty products (such as poisoned food)
- Criminal activity
No matter what the type of wrongful death case, the outcome is always the same: the loss of a loved one.
What are wrongful death damages?
In any wrongful death case, you may be eligible for wrongful death damages, which is usually a monetary compensation for your loss. These damages can include covering the loss of an income support, any medical expenses from the time of the accident to the death of a loved one, and even funeral expenses. Damages also cover the potential damage the death will have on the next of kin, or other family members. Wrongful death damages can wrack up upwards of hundreds of millions, depending on the case, so it’s important not to wait until it’s too late.
How can a lawyer help?
As you mourn the life of a lost loved one, you shouldn’t have to be thinking about mounting financial burdens their death may cause you and you shouldn’t be dealing with complicated legal paperwork. By hiring professional legal counsel, you are hiring an expert to help the process go smoothly and as quickly as possible. A skilled wrongful death death attorney will fight for your compensation for the damages you suffered as well.
If you any of the above conditions apply to you, do not hesitate to contact Cohen & Cohen, and we will happily set you up with a skilled attorney on our team who can help you.
