Maison Law compassionately represents Lancaster families who have lost a loved one in a tragic accident. When someone’s negligence is to blame for the death of a family member, those left behind must receive full support so they are protected financially through such a difficult time. Please contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a real lawyer and find out about every benefit available to your family.
Should My Family Contact a Wrongful Death Lawyer?
If a loved one is killed in an accident caused by someone else’s mistake, families have the legal right to seek financial restitution. Families are empowered to seek financial help from insurance companies, but that doesn’t mean they’ll receive the support they should. Insurance adjusters are trained to try to limit what families receive and they can even attempt to blame an innocent victim for an accident.
A Lancaster Wrongful Death Attorney safeguards the family’s rights and fights back against these unfair tactics. A skilled lawyer makes sure families are awarded all benefits available. A personal injury lawyer can help in filing a wrongful death claim and protecting the family’s interests. A lawyer also handles the frustrating negotiations with insurance companies while allowing as little disruption to a grieving family as possible.
Fatal Accident Dangers in Lancaster
The carelessness of those around us can lead to major accidents and serious injuries. Unfortunately, not every victim is able to survive these frightening accidents. Too many victims lose their lives to the reckless acts of individuals, businesses, and property owners and operators.
Loved ones could be forced into in a deadly car accident caused by a careless driver on Highway 14. They may lose their lives after taking a fall down a poorly maintained stairwell at an apartment complex. Medical malpractice could lead to the death of a loved one. In these cases, motorists, property and business owners, and hospitals could be sued and support could be secured from their liability insurance providers.
Those who employ us, who maintain the properties where we live, and open the stores where we shop, all must show us a legal “duty of care.” This means when you are on someone else’s property, the property owner must be concerned with your safety. When a tragic death occurs, anyone who contributed to the accident could be held financially liable to support the family left behind.
These are just a few of the types of wrongful death cases we help grieving families file and collect support for:
- Motor vehicle accidents. Most car accidents result in some minor property damage, but accidents involving big rigs, motorcycles, and bicycles have a much higher chance of resulting in the heartbreaking loss of life. Defenseless pedestrian collision victims are also left at a much bigger risk of dying from injuries.
- Workplace accidents. Construction accidents, farming accidents, and manufacturing accidents could all carry deadly force. Any fatal accident in an office or at a worksite caused by the negligence of a small-business owner or a national corporation should result in a wrongful death settlement.
- Slip-and-falls, trip-and-falls, and falls from heights. These falls can occur on stairs with loose railing or rotten steps. Decking can give way on a residential property. A victim’s death may not happen immediately. A hip injury victim could experience life-threatening medical issues while bedridden during recovery.
- Theme Park and fun park fatal injuries. An accident at a trampoline park or on a trip to Disneyland can suddenly leave family members without the guidance and care of a loved one.
- Dangerously defective products. The products, tools, and appliances our families use in our homes can malfunction and endanger everyone nearby. The manufacturers and the retailers who sold the product may have to provide financial support to close relatives.
- Medical Malpractice. Doctors, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, and others might make careless mistakes that cost loved ones their lives.
- Nursing home negligence. The care our loved ones receive at assisted-living facilities should never have to be questioned. Yet, neglect and a staff member’s poor judgment or ill intent can put our loved ones in danger.
- Dog bites. A dog owner can be held fully responsible when a dog attack claims the life of an adult or a young child.
- Swimming pool accidents. Deadly hazards around a public place like Eastside Pool or at a hotel pool can leave property owners or the City of Lancaster liable for a wrongful death.
Even if an individual or business is clearly responsible for the death of a loved one, their insurance providers and perhaps even corporate lawyers will be trying to prevent you from securing support. It’s important to have Maison Law on your side. We have experience taking on big companies and insurance providers to secure the most possible for families in their time of need.
Who Can Sue After a Family Member’s Wrongful Death?
California law enables a spouse or domestic partner, children of the victim, or the grandchildren of the victim to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the rest of the family.
In some cases, the parents and siblings of the deceased may also be allowed to file a wrongful death claim to seek a settlement check. A wrongful death attorney can also represent all family members and file a wrongful death insurance claim.
An attorney working on behalf of a victimized family fully investigates accidents and collects powerful evidence of who was to blame. A skilled attorney also determines who exactly should be held accountable for a deadly accident. Sometimes that means more than one party is liable for a family’s hardships and financial future.
What Can My Family Receive Support for After a Wrongful Death?
Families can face financial hardships almost immediately after a tragic accident. Their weekly income may suddenly be gone if the victim had supported the family through a job or career. There are also funeral bills to cover and in some cases, a lot of medical invoices left behind.
A wrongful death claim could earn critical financial support for close relatives left behind. These are a few of the factors that would determine how much support family members could receive:
- Funeral and Burial Costs.
- Lost income. The financial support a loved one can no longer provide the family through employment. This includes the financial hardships the family will face in the future.
- Lost care and guidance. The emotional support and counsel those left behind, especially a spouse and children, won’t be able to draw upon in the years to come. This can include the loss of protection and affection. The mental anguish close relatives must deal with must also factor into the level of support they’ll receive.
- Support for parents. Parents who lose a child in a tragedy can seek support from an at-fault party. They would receive help paying for funeral costs and medical bills. They should also secure support for the love and companionship that’s been lost in the future.
- Emergency Response Fees. The costs of ambulance care and other fees associated with an accident.
- Medical costs. Any hospital bills acquired before the deceased passed on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a wrongful death claim?
Two years. Families who have lost a loved one should act quickly to hold at-fault parties responsible. Waiting months to begin building a claim can mean evidence is harder to find and witnesses are harder to locate.
Can my family still earn support if a loved one is found partially to blame for a deadly accident?
Yes. In California, liability for an accident can be divided between those involved. Victims may share part of the blame for accidents, but a careless driver or a negligent employer might still owe a family a large percentage of support.
What if my family can’t afford to pay a Lancaster wrongful death lawyer?
Your family doesn’t need any money to hire Maison Law and secure powerful legal protection. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for your family. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money an at-fault party must pay your family members.
Contact a Lancaster Wrongful Death Lawyer
Families should be allowed the time they need to grieve after a tragic accident, but bills and hardships stemming from a tragedy can make a wrongful death lawsuit necessary. A wrongful death attorney can handle your case privately with as little disruption to close family members as possible.
Contact Maison Law for a free and confidential case evaluation for any family in the Lancaster area. Our lawyers offer compassionate care to those in mourning to ensure they don’t suffer the financial consequences of someone else’s mistake.
