Wrongful Death in Fresno, CA

Fresno Wrongful Death Lawyer

Has a Loved One Suffered a Wrongful Death in Fresno?

Some of the injury claims our law firm handles involve a death caused by a negligent party. If a person has passed away in an accident, the loved ones of the deceased are likely entitled to compensation for their tragic loss. You will need the assistance of an experienced Fresno wrongful death lawyer. The lawyers at Tim D. Wright fight for accident and injury victims and their families regularly. They might be able to help you receive compensation for your loss.

A wrongful death is where the negligence or recklessness of a person or company are responsible for a fatal accident. The law in California understands that when someone's actions cost another his or her life, the responsible person must be legally liable to pay damages to the victim's family members. This means that when a loved one dies in an accident, the surviving family members may be entitled to bring a civil claim against those responsible for the accident.

Common Kinds of Cases that Lead to Wrongful Death

Some of the most common kinds of cases that result in wrongful death are motor vehicle accidents, slips and falls, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice.

When a Car Accident Causes Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one to a motor vehicle accident is devastating. And it can be emotionally challenging to consider what you should do next when you are so early in the grieving process. However, some people report that filing a lawsuit helped to give them peace of mind because they had one less thing to worry about. A wrongful death claim means that something is being done to get justice for a deceased relative.

A motor vehicle accident that causes a wrongful death can leave a family with major stress regarding repaying medical costs, handling funeral costs, and losing income from a primary provider. Tim D. Wright can help to ensure that you obtain the compensation that you deserve for medical costs, lost earnings, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.

Wrongful death due to a car accident can occur at the scene of the accident or later on when the victim succumbs to their injuries. Although fatal motor vehicle accidents are oftentimes caused by drunk drivers, distracted drivers, and speeding, virtually any kind of automobile accident can lead to a fatal crash. A few of the most common injuries from motor vehicle accidents that later result in wrongful death are traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries. If your loved one passes away from complications due to their injury, it still falls under the umbrella of wrongful death. Therefore, the at-fault party can still be sued for their negligence.

Wrongful Death Because of Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are rarely considered a deadly kind of accident. However, this is simply not true. Slips and falls can be fatal, particularly if the head strikes the ground or another hard surface.

Slips and falls can happen practically anywhere. But some of the most prevalent locations where slip and falls occur that qualify as wrongful deaths are grocery stores, commercial businesses, apartment complexes, parking lots, and workplaces. The way your wrongful death claim will be pursued is different depending on where the accident happened. For instance, claims against large commercial companies differ in their parameters and insurance policies compared to slip and fall deaths that take place at a private residence.

Slips and falls can also be fatal when they happen to an elderly person. A slip and fall can put significant pressure on an older individual that they might never recover from. When you are in the later stages of life and all of a sudden you have to be bedridden for a long period of time, your chances of recovering fully are much slimmer. In fact, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for adults aged 65 and older. And this number seems to be increasing.

Workplace Wrongful Death

Workplace accidents that most commonly result in deaths include:

• Falls from heights
• Fire and explosions
• Malfunctions or errors with equipment
• Vehicle accidents
• Exposure to dangerous substances or environments
• Accidents caused by poor training

In these situations, identifying if there is any third-party liability for negligence depends on how the accident happened. If your loved one died due to negligent conduct of an employee from a different company, that employee or that other company can be held responsible for damages. However, generally if a death or injury occurs at the workplace or while the employee is "on the clock", the case would fall under workers' compensation.

Wrongful Death Due to Medical Malpractice

Wrongful death because of medical malpractice is among the trickier case types in personal injury law. Considering this, you want to be sure you have a competent lawyer on your side when you're handling medical malpractice of any type.

Medical malpractice that can cause a wrongful death includes:

• Early discharge from hospital
• Wrong medication or dose
• Surgical error
• Incorrect diagnosis or overlooked diagnosis
• Birth injury

If a person you love died due to the negligence of a doctor, nurse, or healthcare center, call one of our medical malpractice lawyers at Tim D. Wright right away so we can begin to investigate and develop your case.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Case

Family members may be entitled to recover for various types of damages and losses from a wrongful death in Fresno, including:

• The pain, suffering and grief of the surviving family members. There is not a harder time in life than when you lose somebody you love. The feelings and pain you might experience can be excruciating. We realize that no amount of money will make you feel whole again. However, the loved ones have a right to a monetary recuperation for the pain of experiencing this tragic experience.
• Funeral costs. Almost immediately after a tragic loss, family members have to incur substantial cost for a funeral. Part of this law firm's role will be to recover expenses because of the funeral.
• Medical bills and costs. In many wrongful death cases, the medical costs before passing away can be incredibly expensive. Commonly, billing may exceed several hundred thousand dollars. Our law firm will work to recover those costs from the negligent party.
• Loss of consortium. You have a right to recover for the loss of no longer getting to spend and enjoy time with your family member.
• Loss of the future income of the deceased. Oftentimes the family member that passed away was earning income. Family members were relying on that loved one to support the household. They have a right to recover that loss of future earnings. If necessary, our law firm can employ an economist to determine what amount your family member would have made during the rest of their life.
• Punitive damages. During a wrongful death case, lawyers will determine whether it is appropriate to request leave of Court to file a punitive damages count in the lawsuit. Punitive damages are intended to penalize the at fault party for deliberate and/or outrageous conduct.

Free Wrongful Death Case Consultation

No amount of money can properly compensate an accident victim's family after a fatality due to negligence or recklessness. Nevertheless, these family members deserve financial relief that is offered under local and state laws. After an accident, lots of families choose to consult with a wrongful death lawyer in Fresno to learn whether they have a case.

The type of accident can impact what means of recovery are offered to a family and how soon those claims have to be sought. For these reasons, it is a good idea to seek legal counsel as soon as possible after a death.

If you think a negligent party may have caused a wrongful death of a family member in the Fresno area, Get in touch with us for a free wrongful death case consultation or call (323) 379-9995 to talk to a wrongful death attorney in Fresno.

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