Sherman Oaks Wrongful Death Attorney

Has a Family Member Suffered a Wrongful Death in Sherman Oaks?

Some of the injury claims our law firm handles involve a death caused by a negligent party. If an individual has passed away in an accident, the family of the deceased is probably entitled to compensation for their tragic loss. You will need the help of an experienced Sherman Oaks wrongful death lawyer. The attorneys at Drake Law Firm fight for accident and injury victims and their families every day. They might be able to help you receive compensation for your loss.

A wrongful death is where the negligence or recklessness of an individual or company are responsible for a casualty. The law in California understands that when one person's actions cost another his life, the responsible individual should 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 case against those responsible for the accident.

Common Types of Cases that Result In Wrongful Death

A few 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 family member 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 individuals report that filing a claim helped to provide comfort since they had one less thing to worry about. A wrongful death claim means that something is being done to get justice for a deceased family member.

A car accident that causes a wrongful death can leave a family with major stress and anxiety regarding repaying medical costs, managing funeral expenses, and losing income from a primary provider. Drake Law Firm can help to guarantee that you receive the compensation that you deserve for medical costs, lost income, loss of consortium, as well as pain and suffering.

Wrongful death due to a motor vehicle accident can happen at the scene of the accident or later when the victim succumbs to their injuries. Although deadly motor vehicle accidents are frequently caused by intoxicated drivers, distracted drivers, and speeding, practically any type of automobile accident can result in a deadly collision. A few of the most common injuries from automobile accidents that later lead to wrongful death are traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries. If your loved one passes away 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 Because of 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 deadly, particularly if the head strikes the ground or another hard surface.

Slips and falls can happen practically anywhere. However, some of the most prevalent locations that slip and falls happen that qualify as wrongful deaths are grocery stores, commercial businesses, apartment complexes, parking lots, and places of work. The way your wrongful death case will be sought is different depending on where the accident happened. For instance, claims 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 fatal when they occur to a senior citizen. A slip and fall can put significant pressure on an older person that they may never recuperate 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. 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 cause fatalities consist of:

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

In these cases, determining if there is any third-party liability for negligence depends on how the accident happened. 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. However, usually 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 due to medical malpractice is one of the trickier case types in personal injury law. Considering this, you want to make sure you have an experienced attorney on your side when you're handling medical malpractice of any kind.

Medical malpractice that can result in a wrongful death includes:

• Early discharge from medical facility
• Wrong medication or dosage
• Surgical mistake
• Incorrect diagnosis or missed diagnosis
• Birth injury

If someone you love died because of the negligence of a doctor, nurse, or healthcare facility, get in touch with one of our medical malpractice lawyers at Drake Law Firm immediately so we can start to investigate and develop your case.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Claim

Family members may be qualified to recoup for many types of damages and losses from a wrongful death in Sherman Oaks, 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 know that no amount of money will make you feel whole again. However, the loved ones have a right to a monetary recovery for the pain of going through 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 a lot of wrongful death cases, the medical expenses prior to passing away can be very expensive. Commonly, billing may 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 being able to spend and enjoy time with your family member.
• Loss of the future earnings of the deceased– Oftentimes the family member that dies was earning income. Family members were relying on that loved one to support the household. They have a right to recuperate that loss of future wages. If necessary, our law firm can hire an economist to determine what amount your family member would have made during the remainder of their life.
• Punitive damages– During a wrongful death claim, lawyers will decide whether it is appropriate to ask for leave of Court to file a punitive damages count in the lawsuit. Punitive damages are meant to penalize the responsible party for intentional and/or outrageous conduct.

Free Wrongful Death Case Consultation

No amount of money can appropriately compensate an accident victim's loved ones after a fatality because of negligence or recklessness. Nevertheless, these family members are entitled to financial relief that is offered under local and state laws. After an accident, many families decide to talk to a wrongful death lawyer in Sherman Oaks to learn whether they have a case.

The kind of accident can impact what means of recovery are available to a family and how soon those cases have to be sought. For these reasons, it is a good idea to get legal counsel immediately after a fatality.

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

At Drake Law Firm, we've assisted numerous personal injury clients to get the compensation they require to recover. We won't let you accept unfair treatment from other law firms and we will defend you from beginning to end. If you need help with Wrongful Death in Sherman Oaks, California, give us a call at (844) 513-7253 for a FREE consultation or visit our website at DrakeLawGroup.com to get started on your case today! 

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