Fort Lauderdale Wrongful Death Attorney
If you have lost a loved one due to the careless or negligent actions of another person, company, or entity, you may be entitled to significant compensation. The team at Colson Hicks Eidson is ready to help you get through this difficult time. We are ranked among the top trial attorneys in the country and have the resources and knowledge necessary to fully investigate what happened. We regularly handle cases throughout the State of Florida (and nationwide). Our wrongful death attorney is ready to get to work today.
How do wrongful death cases arise?
Wrongful death from personal injury cases in Fort Lauderdale arises in a variety of ways but revolves around the careless or negligent actions of another person, business, or entity. Some of the most common incidents that lead to wrongful death include:
- Vehicle Accidents – During Florida’s latest reporting year, there were 3,116 total fatal crashes. All too often, these incidents were caused by a negligent drivers, including drunk driving, distracted driving, careless operation of a vehicle, etc. Many of these fatal accidents involved a commercial vehicle.
- Workplace Accidents – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that there were 5,147 workplace fatalities in the country during the latest reporting year of data. Many of these incidents were preventable and due to negligence on the part of someone else.
- Product Liability – Defective products are often the result of flawed designs, manufacturing errors, or labeling errors. They can cause serious injuries and fatalities to consumers.
- Medical Mistakes – Medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in this United States, killing around 250,000 people each year. Many of these medical mistakes include diagnosing mistakes, anesthesia errors, surgical errors, delayed treatment, birth injuries, medication errors, and more.
- Premises Liability – Property owners should always ensure that their guests are safe from reasonably foreseeable hazards.
How much compensation can you expect from a wrongful death case?
There are a variety of factors that go into how much compensation family members can receive for a wrongful death case. The knowledgeable and experienced team at Colson Hicks Eidson will examine a variety of factors, including;
- The age of the deceased
- How much they would have earned over the course of their life expectancy
- The pain and suffering the deceased endured before they died
It is just as important to examine how the loss of a loved one will affect their family. You may be entitled to coverage for pre-death medical bills, funeral and burial expenses, loss of income, loss of consortium, as well as pain and suffering damages, as well as punitive damages against the negligent party.
FORT LAUDERDALE WRONGFUL DEATH CASES: WHO CAN FILE A CLAIM OR LAWSUIT?
Various individuals may potentially seek compensation if someone passes away because another party is negligent. Under Florida law, those who can file a wrongful death claim or lawsuit include:
- The decedent’s spouse who was married to them at the time of their death
- Minor children of the decedent
- If there is no surviving spouse, all children of the decedent
- Each parent of a minor child
- When there are no other survivors, each parent of an adult child
The specific types of losses and damages for which someone can seek compensation after a loved one’s wrongful death may vary depending on the nature of their relationship with the deceased. The experts at our Florida wrongful death law firm can answer any questions you may have on this topic.
HOW A FORT LAUDERDALE WRONGFUL DEATH ATTORNEY HELPS
Enlisting the help of a qualified wrongful death lawyer in Fort Lauderdale is a wise idea if you plan on seeking compensation for losses associated with your loved one’s untimely passing. A Fort Lauderdale wrongful death attorney can play the following critical roles in your case:
- Investigator: You may seek compensation for your losses by filing a claim to recover from the negligent party’s insurance. Or, you may file a lawsuit if they don’t have insurance or their insurer refuses to offer a fair settlement. Regardless, you must first identify whose negligence caused your loved one’s death. To prevent your claim from being denied, you must also gather evidence proving negligence. This will require conducting an investigation. The team at our Fort Lauderdale wrongful death law firm has the resources and expertise necessary to conduct such an investigation on your behalf.
- Case evaluator: An ethical wrongful death lawyer in Florida will never promise that you’ll recover a specific amount of compensation. This isn’t ethical. However, we do promise to carefully review your case, accounting for all your compensable losses to estimate the potential value of your claim.
- Case supervisor: The claims process can involve many tasks, such as coordinating with doctors, filling out and submitting paperwork, corresponding with insurance company adjusters, and more. You don’t need to handle these tasks on your own at a time when you should be focused on caring for yourself and your family. While you focus on your needs, we will focus on handling all administrative tasks.
- Negotiating: Insurance companies aren’t inclined to pay claimants what they’re genuinely owed. Like all profit-driven businesses, insurance companies strive to minimize financial losses whenever possible. Thus, an insurance company’s first settlement offer is likely to be quite low. Again, while no one can guarantee you will settle for a specific sum of money if a settlement offer is unreasonably low, we’re prepared to negotiate aggressively for a more appropriate settlement on your behalf.
Research shows that claimants who hire lawyers are more likely to receive settlements than those who do not. Additionally, they tend to settle for more money than claimants who attempt to represent themselves.
Let us help you move forward
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent or careless actions of another person, please accept our condolences. The team at Colson Hicks Eidson is ready to step in and help you get through this difficult time. We will bring more than fifty years of experience to your case as we investigate what happened. Our goal is to secure the compensation you are entitled to and help you get closure. When you need a wrongful death from personal injuries attorney to handle your case in Fort Lauderdale, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or by calling us at 305-476-7400.