How a Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help You
When the death of a loved one is preventable, it can make the pain even more acute. Knowing that your loved one did not have to die can be overwhelming, especially if the death was another person’s fault. When this happens to a family, the Lansing personal injury attorneys at The Clark Law Office provide strength and compassion during the difficult aftermath of losing a loved one and the fight to right the wrong that caused his or her death.
Are You Ready to Fight For Your Family and Your Loved One?
If you are ready to fight for justice, so are we. Call 517-347-6900 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our attorneys. We understand this is a challenging time for you and your family, but please don’t wait. Michigan laws limit the time you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Act now to protect your family and your right to seek justice for your loved one.
What Makes a Death a Wrongful Death?
The loss of a loved one is tragic regardless of the circumstances surrounding the family member’s death. However, there are some cases in which the law views the death as “wrongful.”
When a person dies as the result of another person or party’s wrongful conduct, the law views the death as “wrongful.” In other words, another party’s negligent, reckless, intentional, or careless action was the direct and proximate cause of another person’s death or significantly contributed to the death of the person. A wrongful death action can arise from a variety of scenarios. Some of the most common causes of a wrongful death claim include:
- Traffic Accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle and bicycle crashes and pedestrian accidents
- Boating Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- Slip and Fall Accidents / Premises Liability Claims
- Defective Product Claims
- Dangerous Drugs and Defective Medical Products
- Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol
- Violence and Abuse
- Workplace Accidents
- Negligent Supervision (i.e. Nursing Home and Elder Abuse Claims or Daycare Claims)
Any incident where a person loses his or her life may give rise to a wrongful death claim if another party’s acts or inactions caused or contributed to the reasons for the death.
What Damages are Available to the Family Members in a Wrongful Death Claim?
No amount of money will ease your pain and grief over losing your loved one. Monetary compensation will not bring your loved one back nor will it make you feel better about the circumstances in which you lost your loved one.
However, the judicial system can only use a monetary judgment to “punish” the person whose negligence resulted in your loved one’s death. That is the best that the law can offer. While the compensation you receive does not offer you any comfort, it can help provide for the needs of your family, and you continue to move forward and try to heal after losing a loved one.
Each state varies slightly on the type of damages available to family members in a wrongful death claim. Those damages are outlined in the state’s wrongful death statute.
Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Statute, a family may be entitled to receive compensation for:
- Costs of the funeral, cremation, and burial of their loved one;
- Reimbursement for any medical expenses and personal care costs from the date of the accident through the date of death;
- The victim’s physical pain and emotional suffer before death;
- Loss of financial support (i.e. lost past, present, and future wages) of the deceased family member;
- Loss of future services that the person would have provided for the family members; and,
- The loss of support, love, and companionship the family members experience because of the wrongful death.
Our Michigan wrongful death lawyers have experience drafting settlement demands that outline the severity and enormity of a family’s loss. It is important to demonstrate the acute loss experienced by your family because of the wrongful death to maximum the compensation your family may receive because of the injustice suffered because of the loss of your loved one.
Call a Compassionate Michigan Wrongful Death Attorney for Assistance
The Michigan wrongful death lawyer of The Clark Law Office understand the sensitive and extremely painful nature of a wrongful death claim. It is our goal to provide support and guidance to you and your family as we help you fight for justice for your loved one. We will do everything within our power to help alleviate as much of the stress you may experience going through the process of filing a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for your family. Call our office at 517-347-6900 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our wrongful death lawsuit attorneys. We have offices in Okemos and Lansing for your convenience.