Accidents are traumatic events. The injuries a person suffers, be it physical or emotional, leave a lasting impression on their life. Not to forget the massive financial hardship the victim will go through when recovering from the injuries.
Accidents are even more traumatic when there’s a loss of life. In distressing times, it is important that the surviving family take legal recourse to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Taking on the individuals responsible for your loved one’s death is a difficult task. But it is possible when you have the assistance of a wrongful death attorney. They will take over all aspects of the case and won’t rest until the liable parties are punished. However, when choosing a wrongful death attorney, you should consider their expertise and experience for a successful claim.
The right lawyer with ample knowledge and experience will assist you in a wrongful death case in the following ways.
- They investigate the case: A wrongful death lawyer will use all their skills to conduct an in-depth investigation of the case. This investigation phase includes activities like
- Analyzing the circumstances under which the death occurred.
- Record relevant information and gather the necessary documents.
- Interview witnesses.
- They find the responsible parties: With the information from the investigation phase, they zero in on the party responsible for the wrongful death. An experienced attorney will also go through the incident to find out whether more than 1 party is responsible for the wrongful death.
- They calculate the compensation value: This is an important part. The wrongful death lawyer will scrutinize all the evidence in hand and prepare a sum that compensates the loved ones of the victim. The damages taken into consideration usually include:
- Funeral costs.
- Loss of income.
- Loss of consortium.
- Loss of inheritance.
- Loss of services provided by the deceased.
- Pain and suffering.
- Medical costs.
- They help negotiate settlements: Many wrongful death claims are settled out of court. You need an experienced attorney when you’re negotiating. This is because the defendant’s legal representative or the insurance adjuster will use all the tactics in the book to offer a low sum. An experienced wrongful death attorney will be assertive and offer evidence-based counterarguments to get you the compensation you deserve.
- They share their expertise: When you hire a wrongful death attorney, you get access to a massive database of law-related information and strategies. They will share this expertise with you to tackle all legal issues. Not just that, the attorney will offer assistance with all the paperwork involved.
- They represent you in court: There are chances that the negotiation for an out-of-court settlement will fail. In such cases, the case will move to court to be presented before the judge and jury. At times like this, your experienced wrongful death attorney will put forward all the evidence they’ve gathered and make compelling arguments to convince the judge and jury.
- They treat you with compassion: A wrongful death attorney knows all about the emotional turmoil the surviving family members of the victim are going through. Not to forget the massive financial stress they’re currently facing. The lawyer understands this pain and will treat the family with compassion, offering all the support they can.
- They save you money and time in the long run: Wrongful death cases may take a while to resolve. When you take on the case without an attorney, you will lose a lot of money. However, with an experienced attorney, the rate of the claim will be sped up, as they know all the technicalities of the law.
Conclusion
The death of a loved one is a painful event to process. Seeking to legally pursue the parties responsible for the death offers a bit of consolation. To achieve the right sum in your wrongful death claim, a wise decision would be to contact an attorney after the accident.