Need an Injury Attorney for a Louisiana Wrongful Death Case?
In 2008 alone, 912 people lost their lives across the entire state of Louisiana. Though a higher percentage of these were single-car accidents, many involved other parties. This means that every year, there is a chance that you or a loved one could be injured or killed in a catastrophic accident caused by a negligent party. Nobody ever expects to lose a loved one on the roadways, and though we don’t prepare for this to happen, sometimes we are faced with the difficult reality when it happens to someone who means so much to us.
What can you do when you know that your loved one lost their life due to the negligence of another party? The worst thing you can do is assume that your case isn’t going to get anywhere and that you should just pay the bills you can and move on during this difficult time. However, this is not true. Your loved one deserves justice after losing their life at the hands of a party who could have done more to prevent the horrific accident leading to their passing. We want to help you through this dire time.
Elements in a Wrongful Death Case
Before you move forward with your claim, you have to be able to show 4 elements to prove that a party acted negligently and owes you damages for your losses. This is true in any case, but especially in wrongful death claims, which are treated very seriously under the law:
- Negligence: You can show negligence by proving that the driver had a duty of care on the roadways but didn’t follow it. This can be shown in ways like distracted or drunk driving, speeding, and more.
- Breach of Duty: If the driver breached their duty of care to your loved one and they were killed as a result, this element is proven.
- Causation: You must show that the cause of the death was the negligence by the party who caused the accident.
- Damages: If economic or non-economic damages resulted from your loved one’s accident, like medical expenses or funeral costs, you could be compensated by a negligent party.
Am I Permitted to File?
This is one of the biggest questions you have to ask yourself when it comes to a wrongful death claim. You may think that anybody can file a wrongful death suit, but this is not true. To bring a claim, you must either be somebody who is closely related to the loved one who passed, or a designated beneficiary of the estate. This usually means anyone who is a parent, spouse, or child but can also include other relatives or domestic partners depending on the circumstances. If you speak to your attorney about your case, you can find out if you are eligible to bring a claim on behalf of your loved one and the whole family depending on how they have suffered from the loss.
Many Damages Available
When you have lost somebody close to you who had a particular impact on many family members, it can affect all of you on a financial, emotional, and physical level. The bills might just keep piling up and you and many others wonder how you can grieve and deal with them at the same time. For instance, you may wonder how you can gain compensation for aspects like medical bills, lost wages from the loss of your loved one’s job, emotional suffering, or funeral expenses. During this difficult time, you and many others deserve compensation to get you through. It may seem hard to put a number value on your loved one’s passing, but we want to help you feel whole again after such a tremendous loss.
We can help you every step of the way when it comes to your wrongful death case. There are many aspects that you may need help with from start to finish like gathering specific documentation to make your claim, receiving all proper medical treatment, fighting the insurance companies and more. We will apply our knowledge of the law to your Louisiana wrongful death claim and help you gain the compensation you deserve. Call us today for more information.