Common Types of Wrongful Death Cases
When a person is killed due to someone else’s carelessness, it may be legally construed as a wrongful death. As our Fort Lauderdale, FL wrongful death lawyer can attest, there are many types of accidents that can result in a wrongful death.
- Medical Malpractice: Even the most experienced and trained medical professionals can make mistakes. Unfortunately, these mistake can result in a patient’s death, as a wrongful death lawyer Fort Lauderdale FL locals respect can confirm. Common types of medical malpractice include a misdiagnosis, surgical errors, wrong medications, and anesthesia errors.
- Car Accidents: Thousands of people are killed in car accidents across America every day. These accidents are often the result of driver negligence such as speeding, drunk driving, and distracted driving.
- Workplace Accidents: A wrongful death lawyer Fort Lauderdale FL residents rely on has also helped families whose loved one was killed while at work. If an employer fails to keep the workplace safe for employees, serious injuries and death are more likely to occur. There are many types of workplace accidents that can result in death including vehicle accidents, machine entanglement, and chemical explosions.
- Truck Accidents: Truck accidents are considered even more dangerous than car accidents because of the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks. If a big truck crashes into a smaller vehicle, the driver and passengers in that vehicle are likely to suffer serious injuries or even death. There are many ways truck accidents can lead to a wrongful death, including improper loading, speeding, fatigued driving, and mechanical defects.
- Defective Products: A Fort Lauderdale FL wrongful death lawyer has also seen wrongful deaths caused by defective products. If a manufacturer fails to make their products safe for the public and someone dies because of it, that manufacturer may be held liable. For example, if a manufacturer made a car with a lot of defects, the person driving the car is more likely to get into a serious accident.
Mistakes to Avoid in Wrongful Death Cases
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences a person can endure. Although it will not bring your family member back, a wrongful death lawsuit can help you recover some of the financial losses that resulted from the death. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid in a wrongful death case.
- Arguing with family members. A death in the family is already difficult enough. Arguing with your family members can make the situation even more stressful to deal with. Although tensions may be running high, it is important to remain calm and listen to one another. If you constantly fight with one another, you will create more hostility and make it more difficult to file a successful wrongful death case.
- Saying too much to the insurance company. If your loved one was killed in an accident, the negligent party’s insurance company may try to contact you to offer you a settlement. It is important to recognize that the insurance company does not have your best interests in mind. They only care about their bottom line. Therefore, you should not say too much to them. If you do, you could jeopardize your case. You also shouldn’t accept the first settlement offer, as it likely will not cover all of your losses.
- Waiting too long to file a lawsuit. Dealing with the death of a loved one is not easy. When you are in the process of grieving, pursuing legal action might be the last thing on your mind. However, if you intend to recover financial damages from your family member’s death, you can’t wait too long to file a lawsuit. In Florida, the statute of limitations to file a wrongful death lawsuit is two years. After that deadline has passed, you will no longer be eligible for compensation.
- Thinking you don’t need a lawyer. Wrongful death cases can be very complex. As such, you do not want to handle your case on your own. If you hire a skilled wrongful death lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL to represent you, it increases your chances of a successful outcome. He or she can make sure that you have the proper evidence and file the necessary documents on time. Your lawyer can also handle all negotiations with the insurance company.
Contact Our Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
We understand that in the wake of the sudden and avoidable death of a loved one, you’ll have many questions – and no satisfying answers. You need time to grieve, and being forced to pay for medical bills, funerary expenses, and any other debts you may have inherited is just another headache that you shouldn’t have to deal with.
It’s challenging enough to process the loss of a family member or a close friend, and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to deal with the financial impact of a wrongful death while you’re still dealing with the emotional impact of your loss.
No amount of money can bring back a loved one, but it can help you move on and overcome any financial burdens and obstacles that have resulted from their death. Reach out to Needle & Ellenberg, P.A. today, and see how a FL wrongful death lawyer in Fort Lauderdale can help.