Wrongful death claims are civil lawsuits that allow the family members of a victim who was killed due to someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing to recover damages. In Washington, D.C., survivors of wrongful death are allowed to bring a claim against the responsible party in order to recover compensation for their losses under D.C. Code § 16-2701.
In Washington, D.C., a wrongful death is defined under D.C. Code § 16-2701 as one that occurs due to the negligence or wrongful act of another person or entity. Such claims are typically pursued by the surviving family members of an individual who has lost his or her life in a manner that could have been avoided had proper care been taken. Depending on the circumstances, a claim may be filed on behalf of the decedent or for the benefit of their survivors.
Wrongful death damages cannot replace the life of a deceased family member. Still, a successful wrongful death claim can provide financial security for surviving family members and justice for the deceased. If you have lost a family member due to another person’s negligence or wrongful act, contact an experienced wrongful death lawyer today to discuss your case.
A successful wrongful death claim can provide financial security for surviving family members and justice for the deceased.
Under D.C. Code § 16-2701, the executor of the estate of an individual who died due to someone else’s negligence is eligible to file a claim for wrongful death. This includes negligence in areas such as motor vehicle collisions, medical malpractice cases and intentional acts.
If the individual died without a will or without naming an individual to handle their affairs, the court can appoint someone.
Losses caused by negligence are especially tragic if they could have been prevented. Family members face grief, depression, anger, denial, guilt and other emotions when dealing with their loss. No amount of money can dispel these emotions. By filing a wrongful death claim, it can give the family the ability to deal with their loss without financial worries.
How Can a Wrongful Death Lawyer Help Me?
In a wrongful death lawsuit, an attorney seeks compensation for the family’s loss on behalf of the deceased. Furthermore, they may hold the party at fault liable for their negligent acts. A compassionate injury attorney can help you the damages your family deserves if you have lost a loved one in a wrongful death claim.
A survival action is often filed in conjunction with a wrongful death lawsuit. It is the personal injury claim the person would have filed had they lived. In this sense, the estate is filing it against the at-fault party in the deceased’s stead. While filed simultaneously, a wrongful death lawsuit and a survival action differ in their purpose. Let’s look at these two lawsuits dealing with the death of an individual.
The family files a wrongful death lawsuit. It aims to compensate the family for their losses due to their loved one’s death. While compensation, in this case, will not relieve the grief, anger and disbelief the family suffers, it will allow them to move forward without financial difficulty.
When a family member dies because of another’s negligence and a claim is filed, it is referred to as a wrongful death lawsuit. Aside from the emotional upheaval the family member’s death brings to their loved ones, it can also result in their inability to pay household bills, among other things. This article will explore the meaning of wrongful death, how family members can file a lawsuit against the negligent party and how a personal injury lawyer can help.
When a family loses a loved one either through negligence or an intentional act by another, they may file a wrongful death claim. In Washington, D.C., the claim may be brought if the person who died would have been able to file a personal injury claim had they survived. Since they didn’t survive, the family may file in their stead.
The jury awards the damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. If there is not a jury, a judge decides the damages to award to the family. According to DC Code §16-2702, the personal representative for the deceased’s estate files an action for wrongful death. The action filed is on behalf of the beneficiaries of the …