Wrongful Death Claim: Benefits Beyond Money
If the unthinkable occurs and a beloved member of your family has lost his or her life due to the fault of another party, you may feel conflicted about whether you should take legal action. Some people may feel that initiating a lawsuit following the death of a loved one seems like exploitation of the tragic loss. There are many ways in which a wrongful death claim can help the surviving family beyond any money that may be collected. Below we will look at some other good reasons to consider filing a wrongful death claim.
Thorough Legal Investigation by Your Team
There may have been an investigation surrounding the circumstances of the wrongful death that was conducted by police or other law enforcement. However, these investigations may not be as thorough as the family would like, given the limited time and resources of many governmental agencies. By hiring a skilled and experienced wrongful death attorney, you will have a legal team that will perform its own thorough investigation. Your legal team will work as your advocate, and part of their job is to discover evidence of the other party’s wrongdoing in order to prove fault. In some cases, sufficient evidence may be discovered to lead to criminal charges against the wrongdoer.
Subpoena Power
Part of doing a thorough investigation is getting an accounting of what happened from any witnesses to the subject incident or events surrounding the incident. Sometimes witnesses may not want to provide a thorough or honest account of what happened for fear that they may get themselves in trouble or implicate someone close to them. When a wrongful death lawsuit is filed, the witnesses can be subpoenaed, and they would then be required to give deposition testimony under oath. Subpoenas can also be used to gather physical evidence that is not being otherwise provided.
Closure – Or Something Like Closure
The loss of a loved one results in heartbreak and grief. Nothing can change that. When negligence takes away a loved one, there can be even more complicated feelings. Guilt and anger at the injustice of the circumstances are common emotions. Grieving is a process, and each hour may feel different. Taking legal action could help with the process of grieving by bringing the facts of the subject incident to light. It is often easier to deal with emotions when it feels like nothing is hidden. While there may never be a sense of “closure,” many families feel that at least some form of justice was done after the conclusion of a successful wrongful death action.
A Chance to Freely Grieve
It is completely up to the family how any monies received through a wrongful death case will be spent. Maybe a family vacation for a change of scenery and a peaceful chance to process their grief is necessary – no one should judge that. Most of the time, however, the unexpected loss of a family member creates a strain on finances and the money helps ease that strain. The financial strain could be due to a number of reasons: lost income if the deceased was a primary breadwinner, loss of household services, or the need to pay for childcare if the lost loved one took care of the home. There are also funeral expenses, which can be quite costly. Many times the money received works to alleviate other financial worries. This allows the grieving family members to focus on healing from the loss rather than worrying about money.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below examines the process of grieving.
Vacaville Wrongful Death Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading. I’m Ed Smith, a wrongful death lawyer in Vacaville, California. Unfortunately, our Northern California highways see a large number of fatal automobile accidents each year. Families are left heartbroken and wondering what to do next. The injury lawyers at my firm can provide compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice. Call us at (707) 564-1900 or at (800) 404-5400 from outside the local region.
Photo Attribution: Vlanca on Pixabay
mm llo [cs 674]