Wrongful Death
Wrongful death claims are among the most tragic cases that we as attorneys encounter. Entire families are devastated and no amount of money can ever replace the loss of a loved one. All too often drunk drivers, careless individuals, overly-worked doctors/nurses, or simply poor safety precautions are the cause of a fatality that did not need to occur.
If your family has suffered a tragedy due to someone else’s negligence, we can help make an already difficult time less worrisome and fight to ensure that you will be able to support your family now, and in the future. Don’t let your loss of a husband, wife, partner, or child be any more devastating than it already is. If your family has experienced a wrongful death, contacting an attorney is essential to ensuring that you receive full compensation for your loss. At the law office of Dann D. Sheffield & Associates our compassionate wrongful death attorneys understand the difficulties and legal issues you face after losing a loved one and can help you along the road to recovery.
What is a Wrongful Death Action?
Wrongful death is a complicated area of personal injury law that is generally misunderstood by the public. A wrongful death claim is limited by law as to who may recover damages and as to what the damages are to be compensating for. A wrongful death claim may only be brought by certain persons who “under the law” are entitled to recover for their personal losses – resulting from the deceased‘s death. This would include but is not limited to: persons such as a spouse(including a registered domestic partner) or a parent who has lost a child. The loss that is being compensated for is the loss experienced by the surviving person, not the loss that was experienced by the deceased. This means that the recovery of damages for a wrongful death are damages to compensate for such things as loss of financial support that the deceased provided to their surviving partner, or loss of consortium(loss of the loving relationship you may have had with the deceased). Wrongful death actions do not compensate for the pain and suffering that the deceased may have experienced.
What is Survival of an Action?
In Washington State a tort action or claim that could have been brought by a person who is recently deceased, can in some cases survive there death and be brought after they have died. This means that if your loved one had an injury claim against another person, business, employer, etc. you may be entitled to recover for there injuries even though they have subsequently died. The injury claim that survives the deceased’s death can arise out of the event that caused the death or can arise out of a completely separate event. As with wrongful death claims, survival of an action is a particularly complicated area of law and persons who are entitled to recover under the Washington State Survival of an Action statute are limited.
At Dann D. Sheffield & Associates we understand that the loss of a loved one is always one of the most painful experience someone can go through. That situation is made worse when the death of your loved one was preventable and the result of someone else’s negligence. Washington State law establishes your right to be compensated if your spouse, domestic partner or child has died as a result of another person’s negligence. If you have lost a loved one, you need a skillful and responsive legal team that is fully committed to fighting for your rights. The attorneys at Dann D. Sheffield & Associates can help you each step of the way. Our attorneys will fight for your rights, and for the compensation you need to put your life back together.
You May Be Entitled To Recover If Your Loved One's Death Was The Result Of:
- Medical Malpractice
- Drunk Driver
- Auto Accident
- Workplace Accident
- Construction Accident
- Maritime Accident
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