A wrongful death lawsuit is for the family of a deceased person. The lawsuit asks for compensation to pay for the loss. Lost wages, funeral expenses, and non-monetary loss are all taken into consideration. Even though the personal level of the loss is hard to put a value on, a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Olympia, WA can help you determine what you should ask for.
A wrongful death case could be filed in many different circumstances. Car accidents, medical malpractice, and product liability are all common cause for wrongful death lawsuits. Government agencies, companies, and people can all be found liable for a wrongful death by acting negligently or intentionally doing something other would not do that resulted in a person’s death.
A representative has to file the wrongful death claim for the survivors. This person is usually the executor of the estate of the deceased. The representative acts for the “real parties in interest,” which are the people who suffer from the death. Parties in interest depend on the state in which the lawsuit is filed. No matter what state you are in, immediate family members can recover wrongful death damages. Immediate family members include children, adopted children, spouses, and parents.
Some states allow a same sex partner and a “putative spouses” to recover damages. A putative spouse is a person who lived as married to the victim. People who were financially dependent on the deceased can also recover damages in some states. Some states even allow people who are not tied to the victim by blood or marriage to sue if they are hurt financially by the death. Family members who are not considered immediate, such as grandparents and siblings may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit in some states. The easiest thing to do in order to determine if you can file a wrongful death lawsuit is to consult with a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Olympia, WA.
Working with a Wrongful Death Lawyer at Putnam, Lieb, Potvin is very helpful in these cases because of their complexity. Even if the circumstances around the death are not complicated, determining the amount of damages is very difficult and a law firm such as Putnam, Lieb, Potvin Law Firm could help you.
