Maison Law of Gilroy helps families who lose a loved one to a tragic accident caused by someone’s careless act. We protect the close relatives left behind and seek help in paying funeral costs and in replacing the income the victim may have supported the family with.
Families can contact our Gilroy Wrongful Death Attorneys to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a real lawyer and find out about every benefit available. It’s always a good idea to speak to a lawyer before speaking to any insurance representative for those at fault.
When Families Should Contact a Lawyer
California empowers families to seek financial help from insurance companies for those found at fault in a wrongful death accident. But help isn’t guaranteed, and the level of support isn’t the same for every family. Insurers can instead try to blame an innocent loved one for their own death. They can point to loopholes in insurance policies (that may or may not exist) that they’ll say allow them to withhold support.
These are all reasons a local Wrongful Death Attorney is an important protective shield for families. A skilled lawyer seeks justice and conducts a full investigation into the accident and who was at fault. The strong evidence collected keeps insurers from wiggling out of accountability. And finally, a skilled attorney is often able to secure much more in support for the family than the family could secure by handling the claim themselves.
A Free Case Consultation for Family Members
Families don’t have to face their grief while battling questions over how to seek justice. It’s a complicated decision, and a wrongful death attorney is uniquely suited to help.
Maison Law offers a free case consultation to any family member who lost a loved one in a Santa Clara accident caused by a negligent person or business. It’s a confidential meeting that allows loved ones to go over their best options.
Nothing can bring back the life of a precious loved one, but families may need to take quick action to protect the people left behind from financial hardships now and in the years ahead.
Support Available Through A Wrongful Death Claim
The emotional toll of a tragic death will come immediately for victimized families. Unfortunately, the financial hardships can start just days after a devastating loss.
Loved ones can face the cost of a proper send-off to a precious family member. Burial expenses can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Hospitals may even be calling to seek ambulance fees and payment for care.
These should all be the worry of those at fault for a careless accident.
An experienced attorney can put pressure on insurance providers to cover these costs and to send that support in a timely manner:
- Leftover medical bills
- Replacement of the income a loved one might have contributed to support the family
- Funeral expenses
- Support for the loss of care and counsel a loved one would have provided
- Support for the loss of intimacy that a spouse or partner will suffer
- Support for the cherished life moments that will happen without a loved one’s presence
- Support for parents and their loss of companionship after a child is tragically killed
Those Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim
California would usually give the first right to file a wrongful death claim to a spouse or children of the victim. This would include stepchildren and adopted children, and registered domestic partners.
They would usually file a claim on behalf of all family members who were financially dependent on the deceased.
In some cases, the parents or siblings of the victim could file if no spouse or children existed. A wrongful death attorney can also file this claim on behalf of the family and make sure those at fault can’t escape responsibility. A lawyer would conduct a full investigation into the accident, how it happened, and who should be held responsible.
The Types of Wrongful Death Cases We Take on for Families
A wrongful death claim allows families to seek support from anyone who contributed to the accidental death of a loved one. It might be a motorist recklessly speeding on 1st Street who crosses over a center lane to strike another car in a deadly head-on collision.
It might be a landlord who puts off repairing a rotting deck or a stairwell, causing a tenant to fall to their death. It could be the owner of a local hotel or city pool operators who allow someone to drown in an unsafe pool.
These are just a few of the different types of deadly accidents we commonly represent families for:
- Deadly car accidents on Gilroy highways
- Deadly truck accidents
- Fatal motorcycle accidents
- Fatal pedestrian accidents at Gilroy intersections
- Deadly bicycle accidents
- Drownings at public pools like CHS Aquatics Center
- Deadly trip-and-fall accidents
- Nursing Home Abuse
- Criminal acts that claim lives
- Fatal construction accidents
- Fatal farmworker, ranch worker, and orchard worker accidents
- Fatal accidents in any workplace
With a tragic work accident, California’s Workers’ Compensation can provide death benefits for families left behind. But that support is not guaranteed, and the level of support is always up for negotiation. A skilled wrongful death attorney can file a claim with Workers’ Comp administrators. Maison Law would make sure families receive everything they need to protect themselves financially in the years ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a family wait to file a Wrongful Death Claim?
California allows families to file claims up to two years after a tragic death. However, it’s not in your best interest to wait months or years. Evidence can disappear, and witnesses can be harder to find. Allow an attorney to get started on your case as soon as possible.
What if my family can’t afford to pay a wrongful death lawyer?
We understand that families can be strained financially after a sudden death, especially when they are unsure if they’ll get any help from those at fault. That’s why Maison Law provides a free case consultation to all victimized families. It’s also why we work for families on a contingency basis. It means if you need to hire us, you don’t require any upfront money. We only get paid if we win the case for the family. If we win, the family still doesn’t have to struggle to find money to pay us. Our fee comes out of the settlement money that an insurance company must provide.
What kind of documents will help with a wrongful death case?
Families will want to secure some important documents before filing a wrongful death claim. Any accident reports or incident reports filed over the accident will help prove what happened. Families should work to get a death certificate. They should keep all receipts pertaining to the accident and aftermath, including funeral home invoices and hospital bills. Paystubs from the deceased’s job will show how much the family has lost in income and will continue to lose. If a family has hired an attorney, the lawyer will be helping the family gather these and other important pieces of evidence.
Contact a Gilroy Wrongful Death Lawyer
Families should contact Maison Law for a free and confidential case evaluation for a wrongful death claim. It’s a chance for loved ones to take action to seek justice and to ensure their family’s well-being in the future.
Our lawyers offer compassionate care to those in mourning to ensure they don’t suffer the financial consequences of someone else’s mistake. We strive to handle the frustrating claims process with as little disruption to those left behind as possible. We want to fight to earn families as much as possible, while giving them time to mourn in peace.
