In life, there are few things more painful than the sudden, unexpected loss of a loved one – particularly if they were in seemingly safe, trustworthy hands when it happened. Everybody knows that accidents can happen and sometimes, death cannot be helped – but the situation can become even more difficult when you have lost somebody close to you after they have gone for a routine surgery, used a product that turned out to be defective, lived in a dangerous property, or have been involved in a road traffic accident or accident at work that could have been prevented by another. If you have lost a relative in a situation that sounds like this, then you probably have several questions that you want answers to – what happened? What should you do next? Can the negligent party be held responsible? Although it won’t bring your loved one back, filing a lawsuit against the negligent party can help you secure the compensation that you need to best deal with the situation.
#1. Find a Good Lawyer:
In this situation, finding a good lawyer is the first thing that you need to do before you can get started on putting together your claim. An experienced wrongful death attorney will be able to go over all the details of your case in a sensitive and supportive manner, while providing you with advice and helpful guidance when it comes to the next steps to take. Once you have established that you have a viable claim, it’s time to get to work filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
#2. Collect and Document Evidence:
There are many different types of evidence that you can collect and document in the event of a wrongful death claim, and the more evidence that you have, the better. If you can, gather evidence that pertains to the situation itself, which will make it easier to prove that your loved one lost their life as a direct result of the negligence of another. In addition, it’s also worth gathering evidence of the impact that it has had on yourself and your family. For example, you may have lost out financially if you relied on your loved one’s income, in addition to taking time off work yourself to grieve.
#3. Who Can Make a Claim?
If you are a surviving relative, then you will be eligible to make a claim against a negligent party in relation to a loved one’s passing. If you win your case, you will be in receipt of compensation to cover any financial and non-economic losses that resulted directly from the death. While nothing in the world can bring a loved one back, this can certainly help with expenses such as funeral costs, medical bills, and household costs that you may be left responsible for.
#4. Survival Action Claims:
You may be able to file for a survival action lawsuit if your loved one suffered through an injury as a result of the negligence before losing their life. The difference between a survival action and wrongful death lawsuit is that this claim will focus on their suffering, while wrongful death focuses on the grief and financial losses of the family.
If you’re dealing with the loss of a loved one due to negligence, get in touch with an experienced lawyer today.
