Calabasas Wrongful Death Lawyer

Has a Loved One Suffered a Wrongful Death in Calabasas?

Some of the injury cases our law firm takes on involve a death caused by a negligent party. If a person has passed away in an accident, the family of the deceased is probably entitled to compensation for their terrible loss. You will need the help of an experienced Calabasas wrongful death attorney. The lawyers at Drake Law Firm defend accident and injury victims and their families regularly. They might be able to help you get compensation for your loss.

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

Common Types of Cases that Lead to Wrongful Death

Some of the most common types of cases that lead to 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 mourning process. However, some individuals report that filing a lawsuit helped to give them peace of mind since they had one less thing to worry about. A wrongful death case 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 and anxiety concerning paying back medical bills, taking care of funeral expenses, and losing earnings from a primary provider. Drake Law Firm can help to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve for medical costs, lost earnings, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.

Wrongful death due to an automobile accident can occur at the scene of the accident or later when the victim succumbs to their injuries. Although fatal motor vehicle accidents are commonly caused by drunk motorists, distracted drivers, and speeding, almost any kind of car accident can cause a deadly collision. A few of the most common injuries from car accidents that later lead to wrongful death are traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries. If your loved one dies from complications because of 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 Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are seldom considered a deadly type of accident. However, this is just not accurate. Slips and falls can be fatal, especially if the head strikes the ground or another hard surface.

Slips and falls can happen almost 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 occurred. For example, cases against large commercial businesses 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 deadly when they occur to an elderly person. A slip and fall can place significant strain on an older individual that they may never recover from. When you are in the later stages of life and all of a sudden you need to be bedridden for an extended period of time, your odds of recovering fully are much slimmer. As a matter of fact, falls are the leading source of injury-related death for adults aged 65 and older. And this number seems to be rising.

Workplace Wrongful Death

Workplace accidents that most frequently lead to deaths consist of:

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

In these situations, determining if there is any third-party liability for negligence depends on how the accident occurred. If your loved one passed away as a result of negligent conduct of a worker from a different company, that worker or that other company can be held responsible for damages. But, typically if a death or injury occurs at the workplace or while the worker is "on the clock", the case would fall under workers' compensation.

Wrongful Death Because of Medical Malpractice

Wrongful death because of medical malpractice is among the more difficult case types in personal injury law. Because of this, you need to be sure you have a competent attorney on your side when you're handling medical malpractice of any type.

Medical malpractice that can cause a wrongful death includes:

• Early discharge from medical facility
• Wrong medication or dosage
• Surgical error
• Improper diagnosis or missed diagnosis
• Birth injury

If someone you love passed away because of the negligence of a doctor, nurse, or healthcare facility, call one of our medical malpractice lawyers at Drake Law Firm as soon as possible so we can start to investigate and build your case.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Claim

Family members might be entitled to recover for many kinds of damages and losses from a wrongful death in Calabasas, including:

• The pain, suffering and grief of the surviving family members– There is not a harder time in life than when you lose someone you love. The feelings and pain you may experience can be excruciating. We realize that no amount of money will make you feel whole again. However, the family members have a right to a financial recovery for the pain of going through this tragic experience.
• Funeral expenses– Almost immediately after a tragic loss, family members have to incur significant cost for a funeral. Part of this law firm's role will be to recover expenses due to the funeral.
• Medical bills and expenses– In many wrongful death cases, the medical bills prior to passing away can be extremely expensive. Commonly, billing might exceed several hundred thousand dollars. Our law firm will work to recover those expenses from the negligent party.
• Loss of consortium– You have a right to recuperate for the loss of no longer getting to spend and enjoy time with your loved one.
• Loss of the future wages of the deceased– Commonly the family member that passed away was earning income. Family members were depending on that loved one to support the family. They have a right to recuperate that loss of future earnings. If needed, our law firm can employ an economist to establish what amount your loved one would have earned throughout the rest of his or her 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 punish the at fault party for intentional and/or outrageous conduct.

Free Wrongful Death Case Consultation

No amount of money can properly compensate an accident victim's loved ones after a death caused by negligence or recklessness. However, these family members are entitled to financial relief that is provided under local and state laws. After an accident, numerous families decide to talk to a wrongful death attorney in Calabasas to find out whether they have a case.

The type of accident can affect what options of recovery are provided to a family and how soon those cases have to be sought. For these reasons, it is a good idea to pursue legal counsel as soon as possible after a fatality.

If you believe a negligent party might have caused a wrongful death of a family member in the Calabasas area, Contact us for a free wrongful death case consultation or call (844) 513-7253 to talk to a wrongful death lawyer in Calabasas.