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Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney in Bothell
Losing a loved one causes profound grief. Focusing and concentrating becomes difficult, and even the simplest daily tasks feel overwhelming. When that loss of life is due to the negligence or reckless choice of another person or company, the situation is even more devastating. Wrongful death lawyers have the resources to help you get just restitution, while also providing the sympathy, dignity, and respect you and your loved ones deserve.
Every year:
- Around 98,000 people die from preventable medical errors, including surgical errors or a misdiagnosis.
- There are over 32,000 driving-related fatalities. Nearly a third of them are caused by drunk driving.
- 173,040 Americans die from unintentional injuries
Understanding Your Legal Rights and Options
Washington State has complex laws that determine who may seek to recover damages in a wrongful death case. In general, you must either be the personal representative of the decedent’s probate estate or a statutory beneficiary, such as a spouse, child, or parent, before you have the right to recovery.
A statute of limitations exists for filing a claim. Generally, it is three years from the date of death in Washington State. Our state applies a percentage analysis that allows you to recover damages even if your loved one was partially at fault for the accident.
There are different laws regarding the types of compensation that can be sought in a wrongful death case. Typically, compensation for economic losses can be sought for medical expenses incurred prior to death and both past and future lost wages. Compensation can also be sought for a variety of non-economic losses, including pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and the loss of parental guidance.
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent actions of another person, you have the legal right to seek compensation.
The Bothell wrongful death lawyers at Polaris Injury Law are dedicated to assisting surviving family members seek justice and obtain financial compensation. We can help you investigate the cause of your loved one’s death and gather substantial evidence to support your claim.
Causes of wrongful deaths in Bothell
Wrongful death lawsuits can result from a wide range of negligent acts, including:
- Car and truck accidents
- sporting accidents
- Violent crime
- Motorcycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Slip and fall injuries
- Dangerous premises
- Construction accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Work-related injuries and illnesses
What Do You Need to Prove a Wrongful Death Action
Wrongful death actions can occur due to a:
- Person, persons, or company’s reckless or negligent actions
- Person, persons, or company’s intentional action (e.g. assault)
- Manufacturing or design flaws in a product
- Other workplace-related accidents, depending on the circumstances
When your loved one is killed by the wrongful death actions of a person, persons, or company, you must be able to prove several things, including:
- Duty to act. Simply put, you must be able to prove that your loved one was acting in a careful manner, and not acting in a way that could potentially cause them harm. For example, if your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident, you must prove that they were obeying the laws of the road.
- Breach of duty. You must be able to prove that the actions of a person, persons, or company caused your loved one’s death. For example, if your loved one was killed in a motorcycle accident, you must prove the accident was caused by the negligence of the other driver, whether they were simply not paying attention or driving recklessly.
- Causation. In addition to proving the duct to act and the breach of duty, you must be able to prove that the breach of duty was the cause of your loved one’s death. For example, if your loved one sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, and then died of a previously undiagnosed cancer shortly after, you will not be able to prove causation.
- Damages. Damages are easier to prove. In a wrongful death case, the primary damage is the actual death of your loved one. However, there are other damages to consider, including medical expenses, lost wages, loss of companionship, and the emotional suffering you experience after your loved one’s death.
Proving these four elements establishes that the party(s) responsible for your loved one’s death acted negligently, careless, or recklessly, resulting in your loved one’s death.
Damages that can be recovered after a wrongful death
While no amount of money can ease the pain caused by a loved one’s death, a wrongful death claim can give your family a sense of closure and establish future financial security.
Immediate family members can pursue the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Burial or cremation expenses
- Funeral costs
- Medical costs associated with hospital care prior to death
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of inheritance
- Lost expected wages
- Lost benefits from the deceased’s job
With a substantial financial settlement, the family can concentrate on healing and recovery without worrying about past or future expenses related to the loved one’s death.
Why you should hire a wrongful death lawyer
Our wrongful death attorneys in Bothell can help you through this difficult time by:
- Representing your interests to insurance companies and negotiating settlement amounts
- Conducting a thorough investigation of the cause of wrongful death by collecting video footage and police and incident reports
- Acquiring medical records and statements from medical providers
- Gathering medical and funeral receipts to determine the total amount of actual expenses associated with the wrongful death
- Taking statements from friends and family members of the deceased about the emotional impact the death had on the surviving family
Seek justice for your loved one
For over 40 years, Polaris Injury Law has been a community-based law firm focused on the healing and financial recovery of our clients. Our wrongful death lawyers in Bothell are ready to guide you through the wrongful death claims process from beginning to end.
Our wrongful death attorneys in Bothell can help you through this difficult time by:
- Representing your interests to insurance companies and negotiating settlement amounts
- Conducting a thorough investigation of the cause of wrongful death by collecting video footage and police and incident reports
- Acquiring medical records and statements from medical providers
- Gathering medical and funeral receipts to determine the total amount of actual expenses associated with the wrongful death
- Taking statements from friends and family members of the deceased about the emotional impact the death had on the surviving family
Seek justice for your loved one
For over 40 years, Polaris Injury Law has been a community-based law firm focused on the healing and financial recovery of our clients. Our wrongful death lawyers in Bothell are ready to guide you through the wrongful death claims process from beginning to end.