Coping With the Effects of a Wrongful Death

There is no question that the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one is one of the most devastating events that one can ever be forced to cope with. When a death occurs at the end of a battle with a long and difficult struggle with an illness, though it is still emotionally crushing, the benefit of having time to mentally prepare for the passing can be tremendously helpful in reducing the impact or hastening the recovery process. A death that is caused by a person or company's negligence, however, offers no such relief and may substantially interfere with the lives of the decedent's family and dependents, making a wrongful death lawsuit wholly appropriate.

The emotional trauma that results is usually the first concern that comes to mind in consideration of such a horrific tragedy, but to treat it as the only one would be misguided. In the immediate aftermath of your loved one's accidental (or intentional) death it can be difficult to try to form an accurate assessment of the full range of consequences. This is especially true of the financial implications, because there is a tendency to respond to such issues as if evaluating them makes you heartless, when this could not be farther from the truth.

Hidden and Obvious Costs

Obviously, everyone responds differently to loss, so there is no circumstance that can be thought of as universally shared among those who are left behind. There are common threads that present themselves time and again which might be regarded as something of a reasonable starting point in determining the extent of possible consequences of your loved one's passing. When you are trying to decide whether you will pursue a lawsuit, it is important to remember that not all accidental deaths warrant a legal action.

Usually, though, it is the case that significant negligence plays a role in creating the conditions that lead to a person's unnecessary expiration. A skilled and experienced attorney can help you to determine whether this is a relevant consideration. A successful lawsuit may gain financial compensation for the following damages:

Funeral expenses
End of life medical care
Grief counseling and therapy costs
Lost present and future income if you are a dependent
Loss of companionship
Emotional anguish
Punitive damages

For More Information

For more information about the process of pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit, contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C.

What Wrongful Death Compensation is All About

The sudden demise of a family member is, no doubt, one of the most difficult and most painful experiences a person or an entire family could go through. The loss of a loved one's life, however, is even made more difficult and unmanageable to bear if the situation could have been avoided but was not or worse, if it was even intentional. As such, a case of wrongful death is a much more serious situation than personal injury cases, which means that there is a greater financial compensation due to the loss of human life.

It is appalling to realize how many cases of death actually happen every year as a result of negligence or some reckless behavior of involved parties responsible. In a number of cities, for instance, there have been a lot of cases recorded involving fatal accidents that result to a grieving loss of family members. If you happen to have had a loved one who died and you think his or her death may have been caused by carelessness, negligence, or intentional misconduct, then you need to contact a wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible.

Not many know this but circumstances involving the fatality of someone can possible be a valid ground for a wrongful death case. These include the likely inhalation or indigestion of chemicals while at work, negligence or abuse from nursing home wards, or even unsuccessful medical surgeries caused by the a doctor's wrong diagnosis, carelessness, or irresponsibility. In other instances, the death of a family member may actually be intentional, which ultimately cost the life of your loved one.

While it is a given that you and your family will need a great deal of time to cope with the grieving loss of your loved one and eventually accept his death, it is important to note that a wrongful death claim can only be filed at a specified length of time. In some states, a wrongful death claim should be filed within two years after the victim's death while in other states the court of law allows the filing within one to three years after your family member's passing.

The proven expertise and extensive knowledge of the wrongful death law of a wrongful death attorney will come in as a big help for you to obtain a fairly reasonable amount of compensation for the death of your loved one. Factors such as medical fees paid or accrued while he was still confined in the hospital, loss of income which he could have earned had he not die, and funeral expenses that were incurred after he died are some of the things your wrongful death lawyer will consider in order to determine the just amount of your compensation claim.