Losing a loved one can be an extremely painful experience. If you have lost someone because of another’s negligence, there may be legal options for you. Let the experienced wrongful death attorneys at Harsh Law give assistance in seeking justice.
You may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation from whoever caused your loved one’s death. This compensation can help with covering expenses for the victim’s medical and funeral bills – including pain and suffering to surviving family members as well as lost future earnings if your family member provided income or support to their household.
What are the basics of a wrongful death lawsuit?
Wrongful death matters are civil in nature, rather than criminal. They apply when someone dies because of someone’s negligence or recklessness. Family members also have grounds to sue for wrongful death due to the person’s intentional conduct.
These cases are complicated and the amount of compensation awarded varies based on many factors. For that reason, it’s important to have a qualified lawyer on your side – specifically an attorney familiar with past cases in the counties of San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County.
Types of Wrongful Death Claims Near You
In California, wrongful death lawsuits are typically divided into three types of claims.
Negligence Wrongful Death Claim
Wrongful death claims based on negligence usually include a person who’s failed to act reasonable. For example, if a reckless driver doesn’t follow the traffic signals and causes an accident by running a red light that leads to a death, they can be held accountable through negligence.
Defective Products Wrongful Death Claim
Another type of wrongful death claim is related to defective products. An example, a claim would be if a car engine was assembled incorrectly and caused the vehicle to malfunction resulting in a catastrophic injury. In this situation, you might have a claim against the manufacturer of the specific components that failed.
Homicide or Manslaughter Wrongful Death Claim
You may also be able to sue someone in civil court for wrongful death by homicide or manslaughter, even if this same person has had criminal charges dropped. This is due to a lower burden of proof and a greater chance of winning in civil cases.
We Handle All Wrongful Death Cases in California
Here at Harsh Law, a team of experienced attorneys is always here to help clients in any wrongful death matter. This includes those involving:
- Car accident wrongful deaths
- Bicycle accident wrongful deaths
- Pedestrian accident wrongful deaths
- Motorcycle accident wrongful deaths
- Truck or commercial vehicle accident wrongful deaths
- Dog attack wrongful deaths
- Premises liability wrongful deaths
- Medical malpractice wrongful deaths
- Workplace wrongful deaths
If a loved one has passed away in California and you feel there may be a person or organization that contributed to their passing, give Harsh Law a call to discuss your case in greater detail today.