Wrongful death claims are never easy to handle, but the addition of mounds of paperwork, endless questions, and constant phone calls can make them much more difficult. That is when a wrongful death lawyer can take a lot of the burden to allow the family the time and space it needs to begin the healing process. There are many steps involved with wrongful death claims, and an experienced attorney will be able to help explain those steps so everyone involved knows what to expect as the process goes along.
Understanding Wrongful Death Claims
A wrongful death claim is one that claims a person’s death can be tied directly back to the fault of another. This can be another person, or even another entity, such as a corporation or manufacturer. Common examples of this include someone dying from a problem with a medication manufactured under the guise of being safe, or someone dying because of a faulty safety feature in a vehicle of some sort. When it can be proven in a court of law that someone or something else can be held legally responsible for that person’s death, the wrongful death claim can turn into compensation for the family left behind after the accident or event that preceded the person passing away.
Understanding Who Can Be Held Liable
Depending on what event caused the death of another, numerous different people could potentially be held liable in a wrongful death claim. Here are some of the most common people seen in wrongful death claims:
- Family members, such as spouses, parents, children, or close relatives
- Caregivers, both in the home and doctors or hospital staff
- Other drivers if the death was from a vehicle accident
- Manufacturers of faulty equipment, vehicles, or machinery
- Anyone that gave alcohol to someone who was obviously impaired
Once the person or persons, responsible can be narrowed down, they can be included on the wrongful death claim filed by the family or their representing attorney. This will lead to the case coming in front of a judge where the family will be given the opportunity to provide proof of their claims. This will allow the judge time to look over the evidence and make a ruling one way or another as to if the event was the fault of someone else or not.