Wrongful death can happen instantaneously. Medical bills, and loss of earnings, and can increase survivor tragedy. More significatively, death is a loss of companionship. If you have gone through loss with wrongful death, talk to an experienced wrongful death attorney at our law firm. You don’t need to be burdened with financial problems from a wrongful death. Our lawyers know how to help victims seek compensation for their losses.
What is Wrongful Death?
Wrongful death is a death caused by someone’s negligence or disregard. A wrongful death happens through the wrongful conduct of people or corporations. A wrongful death claim, however, does not lead to criminal charges, but civil claims you can pursue in court for monetary damages. Prosecutors or district attorneys will not file wrongful death suits against defendants because lawsuits are not criminal charges. Wrongful death lawsuits do not result in fines or defendants going to jail. Private attorneys handle wrongful death lawsuits for plaintiff compensation.
What Causes Wrongful Death
There are several causes of wrongful death lawsuits. Among the causes are workplace accidents, defective products, and death during supervised activities.
Workplace Accidents
Workplace accidents are often reasons for wrongful death lawsuits. Some workplace accidents are equipment accidents where lack of maintenance of manufacturing equipment exists, lax adhering to safety policies and practices, or workplaces that do not have safety policies and procedures. Often workplace wrongful deaths occur from chemical hazards such as flammable or toxic chemicals stored unsafely. Slip, trip, and fall hazards from spilled chemicals, unsafely secured ladders, or unsecured scaffold platforms can occur. When worksites use faulty and/or outdated equipment, accidents causing wrongful death can happen. Shortage or lack of safety equipment such as hard hats, hazmat suits, welding masks, and hard-toe footwear are wrongful death causes. Hazardous and/or improper use of work and construction vehicles can contribute to wrongful death
Defective Products
Defective products can create liability for wrongful death. Examples of defective product liability are toys that cause choking or injury fatalities to children, defective medical devices, faulty medications, and defective vehicles. However, deliberately using products that are not defective in a way the manufacturer did not intend is not liability cause for wrongful death lawsuits.
Death During Supervised Activities
Wrongful death during supervised or unsupervised activities can happen when the supervising person does not have the appropriate training or fails to supervise activities requiring skill and attention. A swimming pool death where a lifeguard does not have the required training or neglects supervision would be an example of wrongful death during an activity that required trained supervision. Another example is a caregiver who neglects to supervise an older person while they take their medication when medical supervision is required as part of the caregiver’s job.
What to Do After A Wrongful Death
Knowing what to do after a wrongful death of a loved one may be difficult when you are grieving. Consulting an attorney knowledgeable about a wrongful death law is essential to help you survive the loss financially. Gather evidence such as workplace reports, medical records, and records of employment as well as salary. Contact us at Hogan Injury law firm to help you gather the evidence you need and support you through the wrongful death lawsuit process.
