Santa Monica visitors and residents find a lot to see and do in the city. The sights and sounds along the oceanfront and downtown are amazing, but there are always safety risks that careless individuals and businesses create with their negligence.
These hazards, like a driver looking at a cellphone or an improperly maintained amusement ride, can cause serious accidents. In tragic cases, these mistakes can even claim lives.
Families who have a loved one taken from them due to the carelessness of another must take action to secure fair support after a Santa Monica tragedy. Close relatives should receive the financial help they need to avoid economic hardships in the years to come, and at-fault parties should be the first to provide that support.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Santa Monica Wrongful Death Accident Lawyer
After a fatal accident, families should be given time to mourn the loss of a loved one instead of worrying about arriving bills and their financial wellbeing. Close relatives may be heading for a financial crisis after a loved one’s income and guidance have suddenly been taken away.
A Santa Monica wrongful death claim seeks justice for the deceased and financial support on behalf of the family to protect them in the years to come. Contact Maison Law of Santa Monica for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to find out how your family can secure what’s fair from an insurance company.
Santa Monica Wrongful Death Accident Dangers
Wrongful death cases hinge on someone owing another individual a legal “duty of care.” This duty might be owed to a visitor, a client, a customer, an employee, or other drivers on the road. When a motorist or a property owner is negligent in providing a safe environment, and someone is fatally wounded, the family of the victim may file a wrongful death claim to ask for support.
The Santa Monica Wrongful Death Lawyers at Maison Law assist families across California with these sorts of wrongful death cases and others:
- Car accidents. Careless drivers along Pico Boulevard or Freeway 10 can cause devastating collisions and put multiple victims at risk of death. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists are all placed in jeopardy by big rigs, cars, SUVs, and trucks. Their injuries more often rise to the level of life-threatening.
- Workplace accidents. Accidents on construction sites, farms, and in manufacturing plants all carry extreme risks for wrongful death accidents. Employers may provide workers with less than safe conditions. A full investigation into workplace safety and employee training is usually enough to show that an employer was negligent in someone’s death.
- Premises liability injuries. Pools, apartment buildings, parking garages, stores, and theme parks are all Santa Monica locations where a deadly accident might occur. When property owners, management companies, business operators, and corporations are shown to have been liable in a tragic incident, families should immediately start gathering evidence in order to file a wrongful death claim. Slip-and-falls and trip-and-fall accidents can also leave victims off their feet for months and during recovery, other life-threatening health issues can arise.
- Sports/Recreation Injuries. A major head injury in a public sports league might lead to a wrongful death settlement for a grieving family. The malfunction of a ride on the Santa Monica Pier could also result in full support for a spouse and/or children left behind. Theme Park days and visits to other local attractions could sadly, end in a devastating injury.
- Defective products. Tools and appliances and any recalled product brought into a home may put our families in harm’s way. The manufacturers and the retailers who sold the product may have to provide financial support to family members.
- Medical Malpractice. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers might make harmful errors that eventually lead to the death of a patient. Families will want a full investigation into what happened and should have a legal representative for protection against hospital lawyers.
- Assisted living negligence. We want to believe that a nursing home is providing the best care available for our loved ones. However, residents face life-threatening hazards when staff and managers make negligent decisions.
Who Can Sue After a Fatal Accident in Santa Monica?
Under California law, a spouse or domestic partner of the victim is permitted to file a wrongful death lawsuit. The victim’s children and grandchildren are also able to file an insurance claim on behalf of other close relatives.
When a victim doesn’t have a spouse or children, the parents and siblings of the deceased could be allowed to move a wrongful death lawsuit forward. A Santa Monica Wrongful Death Lawyer can also represent all family members and file a wrongful death insurance claim.
An attorney working on behalf of family members will investigate a fatal accident and identify every party that may owe a grieving family compensation. The more parties included in a claim for damages, the better chance a family can receive support for every financial and emotional hardship they’ve been subjected to.
Compensation for the Families of Santa Monica Wrongful Death Victims
A skilled Santa Monica personal injury attorney your family file a strong wrongful death claim backed by power evidence. Your lawyer will also include a detailed list of every hardship family members have faced and expect to face in the future.
These are just a few of the factors that determine the size of an insurance settlement check for the family:
- Expenses of a funeral service and burial.
- The ambulance fees and any hospital bills accumulated before the victim passed away.
- The paychecks and work benefits the victim will no longer provide in the years to come.
- Emotional trauma suffered by family members. This can include the loss of the love and guidance victims won’t be able to provide in the years to come.
- Loss of consortium. (The loss of intimacy now that a partner is gone)
- Cost of grief counseling and other mental health services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait to file a Santa Monica wrongful death claim?
File as soon as you are ready. You have up to two years to file a wrongful death claim but waiting can make it harder to secure evidence. Your attorney will file as soon as you have the proof of negligence you need.
Will my family have to take an insurance company to court over a wrongful death claim?
Usually not. According to some experts, only around 10% of personal injury cases end up in court. Insurance companies are motivated to settle claims because they don’t want to avoid the expense of going to trial.
Should I speak to the insurance company of an at-fault party after a wrongful death?
No. Insurance companies often call family members looking for statements they can twist to hurt their wrongful death cases. Don’t offer anything but basic information. Let your attorney handle all communication.
Contact a Santa Monica Wrongful Death Lawyer
After a loved one has been the victim of someone’s carelessness, contact a Santa Monica Personal Injury Lawyer and schedule a free consultation. You should receive all available support after losing a beloved family member, but insurance companies won’t automatically provide what’s fair.
Discuss your case with attorney Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law. It’s a no-risk opportunity to have a skilled, local lawyer go over your wrongful death case. You’ll need to know what your case is worth and how to avoid getting tricked into accepting much less from an insurance company.
There’s no obligation to hire Maison Law to represent your family in a wrongful death case. However, if you feel a personal injury lawyer can help your family earn more from an insurance company, you won’t need any upfront money. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case.
