Losing a loved one is hard enough as it is. It’s always difficult to cope with the loss of a person you cared about and it’s never an easy experience to go through. But, things get even worse and more difficult to swallow once that loss is due to the negligence of another person.
In these cases, the emotional distress is even greater once you realize that a wrongful action of another person led to the loss of an important person in your life. Such tragedies leave families with intense emotions.
However, most families decide to seek justice and that’s when the legal complexities begin.The period following a wrongful death accident can be incredibly overwhelming, especially as the closest relatives have to immediately start thinking about taking legal action. And such situations can also lead to financial troubles when you think about all the medical bills, funeral costs and also, the loss of the deceased person’s income.
But, there is a way to make the situation less complicated. And the best way to do that is to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge that will help you navigate this difficult period.
In the next paragraphs, we’ll explain how to recognize signs of wrongful death accidents and how to act quickly. Keep reading to learn more in case you should ever find yourself in such a harrowing situation.
Contents
Defining wrongful death accidents
It’s important to define a wrongful death accident in order to be able to recognize it. A wrongful death accident occurs when an individual dies as a result of the negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of another person or entity. There are several different types of wrongful death accidents. The most common ones include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace accidents
- Defective products
Medical malpractice is probably one of the most common causes of wrongful death accidents, with a figure of 98,000 fatalities each year. The number is alarming as that means that more than 90,000 lives could have been saved if only healthcare experts had done their job properly.
Additionally, motor vehicle accidents have an upward trend that is extremely concerning once you take into consideration the fact that between 1913 and 2022, the number of motor-vehicle deaths in the United States increased 996%. It’s definitely not a number to be overlooked.
Wrongful death accidents present a big problem and the growing number of these accidents means that people need to educate themselves on how to cope with them before it’s too late.
Actionable tips for handling wrongful death situations
Although it’s an emotionally burdening situation, you still need to find a way to keep a cool head and act reasonably and promptly. After you’re certain that a wrongful death situation has taken place, it’s time to start preparing the groundwork. A wrongful death suit is usually filed by a personal representative of the deceased. It’s often the next of kin that needs to take care of this.
Gather all the evidence you can find
The first crucial step in pursuing a wrongful death claim is to gather as much evidence as possible. You should try to gather different types of evidence to make your case more convincing. First of all, document the accident scene, any injuries, and property damage. Take photos and even videos that clearly depict the accident scene. It’s always more convincing when you have visual evidence.
Then, if possible, try to gather some witness statements. You can do this by collecting contact information and statements from anyone who witnessed the accident. It’s almost next to impossible that there are no witnesses to the accident, so make sure to ask around and find someone to support your claims.
Finally, also focus on obtaining all the medical records related to the incident, including treatments received and medical reports. It’s also advisable to get a copy of the official police report if law enforcement was involved.
Get legal guidance
You can’t do everything by yourself and you need to immediately start thinking about getting a lawyer specialized in the matter that can help guide you through the process. If you get legal assistance, you can ensure that you also get fair compensation.
The compensation should cover all the important costs, an experienced Indiana car accident lawyer claims. The compensation costs should cover everything ranging from funeral and burial costs to loss of companionship.
To avoid getting tricked or settling for less than you deserve, find a trustworthy attorney. Try researching local attorneys or ask around if someone has a word of mouth recommendation. Make sure to check Google reviews as well to see what the people say about the attorney’s services.
Seek emotional support
Legal assistance isn’t the only kind of support you’ll need. During such a difficult time, you need to also get emotional support from your closest circle of people. Seek support from your family, friends, colleagues and even professional counselors that can help you get through this challenging and stressful period.
Going through everything alone is definitely not advisable, no matter how strong of a personality you have. You’ll break down eventually and you’ll want to have a close person nearby when that happens.
The bottom line
Dealing with the aftermath of a wrongful death accident is one of the most challenging experiences one can face. Not only are you in emotional distress but you immediately have to start thinking about gathering evidence of the accident and contacting all the relevant parties.
The most important thing is to surround yourself with a good support system, both legal and emotional. Find a trustworthy attorney to get you through the legal proceedings and surround yourself with people you love that will be your shoulder to lean on in difficult moments.