Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences you may go through. It is even more devastating when you suspect that your loved one died due to someone else’s negligence. Investigating a wrongful death, piecing together the evidence, and presenting it before the court is complicated and overwhelming to do by yourself, however.
For this reason, it is best to work with a wrongful death attorney from Setareh Law in California to help you through every step of your case. If you feel like someone made a mistake leading up to the loss of your loved one, an expert can help you get the justice you deserve.
What Is Wrongful Death?
Wrongful death is when a person passes away due to another person’s neglect, violation of a legal duty, or intentional misconduct. This may result from a car accident, defective products, workplace accidents, medical malpractice, and much more. California has a public policy to compensate surviving family members of wrongful death accidents and deter future reckless conduct.
Close family members can bring a wrongful death action against a potential culprit. Even if this person is not guilty of criminal charges, they could still be liable for causing your loved one’s death. This is because a wrongful death action doesn’t require a high burden of proof. If you win the case, the law can compensate you for losing your family member. However, payment of the damages is limited to only close family members. This includes spouses and children of the deceased.
In some unique circumstances, grandchildren or other dependents can successfully file for wrongful death. For instance, if you are a spouse, you are entitled to financial support for life. Children also deserve support from their parents till the age of 18. However, if you want them to get any financial support past 18, you must demonstrate that the child would likely continue getting more financial help from the deceased past this age.
Factors That Influence Compensation in a Wrongful Death Case
Determining how much the deceased could have contributed to a spouse’s or children’s life is complicated. The law divides the damages into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages predominantly focus on the financial losses the surviving family will suffer. They comprise lost income, funeral expenses, or medical fees. On the other hand, non-economic damages revolve around intangible aspects such as emotional loss, pain, suffering, and loss of companionship.
The judge will look at the magnitude and nature of the reckless conduct leading to loss of life. The defendant’s financial capabilities and insurance coverage also come under scrutiny. The quality of your legal representation can undoubtedly influence compensation in a wrongful death case. A competent and experienced team from Setareh Law can help you go after all the potential damages you deserve.
Work With an Experienced Setareh Law Wrongful Death Lawyer in California
Have you recently lost a loved one? The next step is to hire a skilled and supportive lawyer to help you with the case. Some benefits you will get from working with the right legal team include emotional support and guidance, thorough investigation to gather adequate evidence, solid legal strategy, and superior negotiation skills to get a fair settlement.
As personal attorneys, our team at Setareh Law has access to a network of resources that will benefit your case. We collaborate with top accident reconstruction specialists, doctors, and other professionals. Most importantly, we give our clients dedicated attention because our caseload is lower than that of a public defender. If you or anyone you know feels they lost their loved one due to someone else’s misconduct, fill out our contact form or call us at (310) 659-1826. We will be happy to represent you in a wrongful death case. Our team also speaks Spanish.