Wrongful Death Lawyer Van Nuys
Experienced Van Nuys Wrongful Death Attorneys
There are more than 150,000 accident-related deaths in the United States each year. Fourth leading cause of fatality is death from unintentional injuries. People dying in unexpected circumstances tend to leave children, spouses, parents, and other loved ones behind. Surviving family members can find it difficult to proceed in the wake of sudden emotional and financial losses.
You need a capable wrongful death lawyer Van Nuys to help you seek justice for the death of your loved one. There is a specific amount of time in which you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. This time period is called statute of limitations. In California, the statute of limitations for most wrongful death situations is two years. This is why we encourage all our clients to seek legal aid quickly.
What is Wrongful Death?
Wrongful death refers to preventable death that occurred as a result of someone else’s recklessness, intentional misconduct, and negligence. A wide range of fatal accidents can be the reason for legal claims. These are a few common causes of wrongful death in Van Nuys:
- Commercial truck accidents
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Defective products
- Property hazards
- Fatal burns
- Workplace accidents
- Nursing home deaths
You can file a wrongful death lawsuit after a loved one is killed by another person’s misconduct, negligence or illegal activity. The claim is generally filed by the surviving close family members of the decedent. Your wrongful death lawyer Van Nuys will have you know that the claim often relies on evidence from a criminal conviction for proving liability of the at-fault party.
However, you should know that the liable party doesn’t need to be proven guilty in a criminal case for you to seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. For instance, O.J. Simpson was not found guilty of murder, but was later found liable for the wrongful death of people he was accused of killing in a civil court.
Elements of a Wrongful Death
These are a few factors that needs to be proven in a wrongful death lawsuit:
- Someone died
- The death occurred because of the intent to harm or negligence of another party
- Monetary damages were suffered by the surviving family members
- Deceased’s estate will be administered by a personal representative
Accountable Parties in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Several different types of actions (or in some cases inactions) can cause wrongful deaths. On top of this, different parties can be held liable for the wrongful death, such as a company, government entity, and individuals among others. We are here to help you seek justice for the wrongful death of your loved one. No matter the cause of death, the law recognizes that survivors should not have to bear economic and noneconomic damages alone.
Who Is Eligible to File a Wrongful Death Claim?
Only close family members are generally allowed to bring a wrongful death claim. However, in special circumstances other people may be eligible for bringing a lawsuit as well. Hence, it is important to review your particular case with a qualified lawyer. We make the time to evaluate our client’s relationship to the decedent to help determine whether they have a valid legal claim or not.
Following surviving relatives can file a wrongful death claim under California’s wrongful death statute:
- Domestic partner or spouse
- Children
- Parents, siblings and other heirs
- Decedent’s estate’s personal representative
Other people can bring forward a wrongful death claim as well if they were financially dependent on the deceased person. These people include:
- Putative spouse, which means a person that believed that they were married to the deceased person. This is even when the marriage is not valid.
- Children of the putative spouse
- Parents
- Stepchildren
Winning Wrongful Death Lawyer Van Nuys- Walch Law Firm
It is important that you consult with an attorney as soon as possible because your lawyer will need time to build a strong case. At Walch Law, we are so sorry for your loss and would love to help you during this difficult time. We have over 40 years of experience winning wrongful death cases and would love to get you the same great results we have gotten for so many before. We take all our cases on a contingency fee basis and are ready to get started– get in touch now!