Wrongful Death

Posted on May 13, 2009

The pain of losing a loved one can never be fully healed. And while financial restitution for the family of the deceased will not bring that person back, wrongful death lawsuits can help to ease the burdens surrounding the funeral and burial costs, medical bills, loss of income and general living expenses that will be difficult to handle without that individual.

In order to file a wrongful death claim, the surviving family members must prove that the death was caused by the illicit actions or negligence of an outside party, such as an individual, business or medical facility. This can be a challenging task that requires comprehensive training in the law as well as assertive forces in your court to get the compensation the family deserves.

Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the top 3 causes for injury mortality in the United States in 2005 were:

• Motor vehicle traffic accidents
• Poisoning deaths
• Firearms

While the majority of motor vehicle accidents and poisoning deaths were classified as “unintentional,” there are still far too many wrongful death lawsuits that continue to be filed for these categories. Other common causes of wrongful death suits include:

• Unsafe work environments
• Hazardous premises
• Product liability
• Medical malpractice

The statute of limitations, or length of time a person has to file a wrongful death claim, is different for each state. Please contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C. in New Jersey or Philadelphia as soon as possible to discuss the wrongful death circumstances of your loved one.