Greenville Wrongful Death Lawyer
Losing a loved one is a tragic and overwhelming experience under any circumstance. When a loved one dies unexpectedly, the surviving family members not only have to face the intense emotional pain, but also often have to deal with financial consequences.
Families that lose a primary earner often suffer sudden financial hardship, which can add to the difficulty of their already unfortunate situation. When someone passes away due to a wrongful death, families are often uncertain how to proceed. The law allows surviving family members to seek justice in court for themselves and their loved one.
If you are considering filing a wrongful death claim, contact a Greenville wrongful death lawyer who can explain your family’s options, and help guide you through the process.
What is a Wrongful Death?
A wrongful death is not merely an accidental or unexpected death. Wrongful death is defined as a death that was caused by the wrongful act, neglect or default of another.
That is, someone else’s wrongful behavior caused the circumstances that led to the person’s death. In such cases, the person or entity who caused the wrongful death can be legally responsible for financial harm stemming from the death.
Typical Cases
There is no single cause of wrongful death. Someone’s negligence or intentionally dangerous behavior can lead to another’s death in many ways. However, some common causes of wrongful death may include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Slip-and-falls
- On-the-job accidents
- Dangerous or defective consumer products
- Assault or other violent acts
- Boat accidents
In any one of these situations, finding those responsible is not an easy task. Figuring out who is liable for the wrongful death depends on the exact circumstances of the case.
Investigating liability is also a critical step in any wrongful death claim, and a Greenville wrongful death lawyer knows how to investigate liability, and how to navigate case complexities in order to help surviving family members.
What Types of Compensation is Available?
When dealing with the trauma of a loved one’s wrongful death, surviving family members are often unaware of how the legal system can help them. North Carolina state law protects immediate family members’ right to seek compensation for a wrongful death.
This compensation is intended to help grieving families through a difficult financial period caused by the wrongful death. North Carolina Code allows spouses and children to pursue wrongful death claims in court. If there are no surviving spouses or children, the deceased’s parents can pursue the claim. If there are no immediate surviving family members at all, the law allows the deceased’s legal heir to file a claim.
The family of a wrongful death victim can face many expenses caused by the death, such as:
- End-of-life medical bills
- Funeral costs
- Loss of companionship
- Future financial losses
Families can seek compensation for costs such as these, as well as compensation for their pain and suffering. Pursuing a legal claim is a complex process, so it is important to call a Greenville wrongful death lawyer to help. A lawyer can explain the process and provide guidance during a difficult time.
Wrongful Death of a Minor
Anytime a minor child is involved in any type of wrongful death, it is tragic. However, under North Carolina law, often these cases are sometimes valued less because there is not a component of wage loss if it is a child. However, the facts of every case drive the value of it, so the value will always depend on the particular circumstances.
Wrongful death of a child often occurs where an individual is playing on the side of the road, runs out on a road or highway, and gets struck by a car. Or, they are a passenger in a vehicle struck by a truck, trailer, or other vehicle, which can be a tragedy that can affect them just as much. Often, accidents are the result of driver inattention, drivers are texting or drinking and driving and do not have the ability to stop in time to prevent an accident. Those cases are often going to be settled out of court, which is usually a benefit to the family.
Available Damages
Wrongful death is a negligence claim. The damages are the same for wrongful death of minors cases in Greenville, except for loss of earnings if the child was not of an age that they were contributing earnings to the family. They include loss of society, loss of companionship, conscious pain and suffering, or medical expenses resulting from any injury that led to death.
Contacting an Attorney
The burden of losing a loved one is both emotional and financial. It can be quite difficult to deal with the financial consequences of a loved one’s death while also coping with the tragedy.
If you have lost a loved one to wrongful death, contact Greenville wrongful death attorneys today. They will explain your options and do their best to help your family get the compensation you be may owed.
