The Lathrop personal injury lawyers at Maison Law is here to represent the interests of loved ones who have suffered the loss of a family member or provider in a wrongful death incident. If you lost a family member or someone who was supporting you and your family due to a car accident, incident at work, pedestrian accident, or boating accident caused by negligence, contact Maison Law today. Our staff is here to offer our condolences for your loss and help you understand the legal options you have to ensure the stability of your future and ability to care for your family.
Do I Need a Lathrop Wrongful Death Lawyer
You need to understand that you have the legal right to pursue a lawsuit or claim of wrongful death in California without hiring a Lathrop wrongful death lawyer. All personal injury and wrongful death cases can be prepared and filed by the victim or, in this case, the victim’s family member. However, you are sure to agree that at this difficult time, having a legal professional working to protect your best interests is a good choice.
If you decide that you want to work with the liable party’s insurance company in an effort to resolve the wrongful death matter without going to court, that is one option. But be aware that the insurance company is in business to make money. And the loyalty of the insurance company’s employees will always favor their employer. You might find that as the settlement negotiations move forward; the process is slow and stressful. If at any time you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, know that Maison Law is just a phone call away and can assist you in this process.
Finally, if you already know that you are not interested in handling the legal aspect of resolving the wrongful death claim, our team will take on the case and work diligently to protect you and your family’s financial future. Our job requires that we work for no other purpose than to secure the resolution that is in your best interest. Records also show that when a wrongful death case is handled by a lawyer instead of the victim’s loved one, the settlement or support secured for the family is typically more robust.
Request Your Free Consultation Today
Contact the office staff at Maison Law today to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation to determine the legal merit of the matter and your options. Keep in mind that the choices you will make in the coming weeks and months can have a significant impact on the rest of your life and the financial stability of you and your family. The Lathrop wrongful death lawyers at Maison Law are here to help you sort through all of the facts and possible outcomes to determine which will best meet your needs and allow you and your family to move past this tragedy to begin rebuilding your lives.
We also want to ensure that you know that even after your free case evaluation and no-obligation consultation, all of the choices about your future are in your hands. Our team is only here to offer information and ensure you are well-prepared to make these important decisions.
Calculating the Value of a Lathrop Wrongful Death Case
The last thing you might want to think about after the loss of a loved one is money. But that is not always a realistic expectation or hope. You might feel guilty or disrespectful as you begin to worry about paying bills, the cost of final expenses, and how you can manage without the help and support of your lost loved one. At Maison Law, our wrongful death lawyers are here to help you navigate this particularly difficult part of losing someone so vital to you and your family.
During your free consultation, we can explore the value of your wrongful death case and the items that might be included in the settlement you are seeking, which could include:
- The cost of final expenses for your loved one, like the funeral, burial, or cremation
- Any medical expenses that were incurred prior to the passing of your loved one, which might include emergency medical care, transportation, or an extended hospital stay
- Legal fees for your wrongful death claim, estate planning, and execution of any will or final wishes
- Support to replace the funds that your loved one would have provided for the future care of you and your family
In addition to those items that are considered economic damages, there are items to evaluate that are more closely related to your personal losses. These are the less tangible contributions that were made to you and your family by the loved one who was lost. You will work with your Lathrop wrongful death lawyer to equate a value to things like:
- Loss of companionship and consortium
- The void in activities like raising your children that your loved one would have filled
- Your loss of enjoyment of certain aspects of your life without your loved one
All of these items will be tabulated to determine the amount of support you are seeking in your wrongful death claim. We know that no amount of money could replace all that you have lost with the untimely passing of your loved one. But the job of your wrongful death lawyer is to secure the compensation needed to help ensure your stable financial future and that you have the time and resources needed to find the way that works best for you and your family to grieve and heal from this immense loss.
Time Limits for a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Lathrop
It is hard to imagine anything more brutal than facing the loss of a loved one. And the challenges can feel even more oppressive when you learn that there is a ticking clock on making some of these decisions. In California, the family of a wrongful death victim has only two years from the date of their loved one’s passing to file a wrongful death case with the court. If you wait longer than two years, your ability to pursue legal action related to the death of your loved one will have expired, and you will no longer have this legal option.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim
In general, most wrongful death claims are made by a family member of the deceased. Of the surviving family members, the first to have the option to file a claim are the spouse or domestic partner of the deceased as well as their children and grandchildren. If the deceased does not leave behind any of these close family members, then adopted children or those considered inheritance heirs can pursue legal action in a wrongful death claim. In these cases, heirs will typically be parents or siblings.
In addition to blood relatives, any person who was financially dependent on the deceased can file a wrongful death case. If you feel that you have a right to make a claim for the wrongful passing of a loved one or person who was financially supporting you, contact Maison Law today.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to Wrongful Death Cases
Can family members file multiple wrongful death claims for the loss of the same person?
As you explore your options regarding a wrongful death claim, you will discover that California is a one-action state. That means the family of the deceased must work in unison to file only one wrongful death claim when a loved one’s passing was caused by negligence. When the claim is resolved with a settlement or support awarded by the court, the funds will be shared among the members of the case based on their personal losses.
Can there be more than one liable party named in a wrongful death case?
It is not uncommon for multiple parties or entities to be named as liable in a wrongful death claim. It is often a hospital and multiple staff members who are being held accountable for a medical malpractice case of wrongful death. If the loss of life was the result of a vehicle accident, it is also common for more than one driver to be listed as liable for the incident. This same situation is also common in premises liability cases when more than one party or entity was responsible for the care of a property and was deemed negligent in their duty of care.
Are estranged family members still heirs?
In California, emotional estrangement does not dissolve a family. If there is an estranged heir that remains part of the will, they are still considered part of the family and can be included in the wrongful death support distribution.
Contact A Lathrop Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you and your family have lost a loved one due to another person’s negligence, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Maison Law. We are here to help you understand your rights as a family and how you can hold the responsible party accountable for the passing of your loved one and the loss of the financial support they contributed to the family. Understandably, this could be a very difficult time for you and your family, and our firm wishes to offer our sincere condolences for your loss and pledge to be respectful of your time and mourning. But we ask that you consider a free consultation and case evaluation to ensure you have all the information you need to help you overcome the hardships you face.
If you wish to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, our firm will handle this matter for you and never require any upfront payment or legal fees. We work only on contingency and are paid after we secure a settlement or award of support from your lawsuit. So, there is never any risk for you to spend money on our legal services and not get the support you need to help secure a stable future for you and your family.
