Summary
- A wrongful death is when a death is caused by a party other than the victim.
- A wrongful death Injury lawyer handles any civil lawsuits that result.
- One way to determine if you have a case is to evaluate whether the accident would have warranted a personal injury claim had the victim survived.
- In Florida only a personal representative can file a wrongful death claim.
- Wrongful death cases can be filed on the behalf of those who depended financially on the victim. e.g., spouse, children or relatives.
- Often times a criminal conviction can add credibility to the claim. An example of which is a drunk driver. Driving under the influence is considered negligent conduct, henceforth a death caused by a car accident involving a drunk driver would likely prove another party’s negligence.
- Not all cases however require a criminal conviction to prove negligence. For example, a doctor misdiagnoses a terminal illness leading to the victim’s death.
- The Dolman group won a 1-million-dollar settlement in the case of a father who died in a car accident.
- A 6.7-million-dollar settlement was also won by the Dolman Group in a wrongful death claim.
- A claim often includes financial and emotional damages including:
- Lost Wages
- Funeral Expenses
- Ambulance fees
- Benefits lost
- End of Life Care
- Surgeries
- Medications
- Future income lost
- Emotional Damages are harder to quantify. An example however could be the loss of a companion in the case of a spouse, or the loss of a role model in the case of a child.
- To get an accurate assessment of your potential case you should contact a licensed attorney with experience handling personal injury cases or wrongful death cases.
Summary of an article by The Dolman Group Accident Injury Lawyers
