It is not unusual for people to think that it would be great to file and win a personal injury lawsuit. They have the idea that a slip and fall accident will not hurt that much but can bring in a big settlement. So while people do not dread the idea of hiring personal injury lawyers, no one ever wants to be in the position to have to talk to wrongful death attorneys. If you find yourself in this unfortunate position, there are some things you need to do.
- Find out if you can file this kind of lawsuit. You may need to talk to some wrongful death attorneys to see if you are in the legal position to file a wrongful death lawsuit. It is not enough to have been close to the person who was killed. If you are a member of the immediate family of the person who was killed or if you have been appointed to represent the person’s estate, you have a legal right to file this kind of lawsuit. The law considers spouses, domestic partners, children and grandchildren to be “immediate family.”
- Keep all the documentation you can. No matter what kind of legal matter you are dealing with, the more documentation you have to back your case up, the better. All wrongful death attorneys will tell you that they can use all of the documentation of the damages they can get. There are a number of things you can get money for. You should get evidence of any loss in financial support, earning potential for the future, guidance, and companionship. Even having the paperwork such as the deceased person’s birth and death certificate can help. You should get any contract they had, past pay stubs they received, and tax records.
- Get everything in on time. All lawsuits have time limitations on them. One of the great things about working with wrongful death attorneys is that they can keep track of when certain documents are due and get them in so that you do not miss any deadlines. When you are filing a wrongful death lawsuit, you do not have an endless amount of time to get your paperwork in. Every state has its own statute of limitations for these lawsuits so you will have to talk to a wrongful death lawyer about how much time you have and what you need to do to get everything in by the right deadline. The clock starts when the cause of death is determined, not when they die. As soon as you think your loved one died due to someone else’s negligence, you should talk to some wrongful death lawyers.
- Remember, not all deaths can be considered “wrongful deaths.” A death that occurs because of another person’s deliberately harmful actions or because of their negligence, you have a case to talk to a wrongful death lawyer about. These cases can be medical malpractice cases, drunk driving accidents, truck accidents, or other accidents where someone was not acting appropriately. These cases can also be caused by neglect or active abuse of someone in a nursing home.
- Hire the right attorney. Medical professionals specialize and the same can be said for legal professionals. If you are dealing with a wrongful death situation, the lawyer who helped you with your divorce cannot help you file your lawsuit but they may be able to help you find someone who can. There are a number of reasons to talk to qualified attorneys when you think that a loved one may have been killed by someone else’s negligence or deliberate actions. Even if you are not sure, you can take advantage of the free first consultation that these kinds of law firms offer to prospective new clients to see if you have a case and if you can win it.
If you suspect that the death of someone you love could have been prevented or was caused by deliberate malfeasance, it is worth it to take the time and consult with wrongful death lawyers in your area. They will tell if you if you have a case.
