Need an Injury Attorney for a Washington Wrongful Death Case?
Many people are injured in accidents all over Washington every day in the state, but what about those who lose their lives due to the negligence of others? We don’t often think about this because most of the time we want our loved ones to make it out of an accident without any harm, but unfortunately, this is not a reality for some. When it comes to a commercial vehicle, motor vehicle, and motorcycle accidents, anything can happen and we must always be prepared for this fact.
How do you compensate on behalf of your loved one after their life has been unfairly taken from them because of the negligence of another party? Perhaps you and your family have suffered tremendously due to the loss of your loved one and you wonder how you can move forward in this highly difficult time. There are many circumstances that call for wrongful death cases in Washington.
The Elements of a Wrongful Death Claim
Every wrongful death case has 4 main elements that you should know more about. They include the following:
- Negligence: Negligence occurs when a driver is acting negligently on the roadways and does not take proper precautions to protect you and others from harm. An example of this is somebody who chooses to drink and drive, or somebody who chooses to recklessly text and drive and takes their eyes and attention off the road.
- Breach of Duty: This element exists when a plaintiff is injured because somebody chooses to disobey traffic laws and an accident results.
- Causation: You must be able to show that the negligence caused by a driver was the reason why your loved one lost their life.
- Damages: These are the economic or non-economic damages that stem from wrongful death cases, from medical costs your loved one experienced before they passed away, to lost income to support their family.
Am I Eligible to File?
This is a big one. It is known that not just anybody can file a wrongful death case. For instance, you may have been friends with somebody for a couple of years, but usually, this does not mean that you will automatically be able to file a petition and compensate due to their death. These cases are generally brought by family members or designated beneficiaries, who could include parents, spouses, or children to the loved one. If you have reason to bring a claim because you have suffered financial or emotional losses due to the death, then you may be able to file.
If you are permitted to file a claim on behalf of your loved one, you may be able to receive compensation for things like lost income now that your spouse or parent has passed and is not bringing in an income, medical costs that you are now responsible for since they have passed away, funeral expenses, and losses related to any other benefits that they were unable to leave to you due to an early and unexpected passing. We have experience with helping parties gain the compensation they deserve when they have lost a loved one. We will help you compensate for your losses in your time of need. We are with you through this difficult time and want to help.