Personal injury accidents can lead to significant harm, which can include extensive injuries and sometimes even death. After the death of a family member in any sort of personal injury accident, like a car accident, truck accident, or even an assault and battery incident, it can be very difficult to figure out what to do next.
If a member of your family died in an incident that was directly caused by the negligent or reckless actions of another party, then you might have grounds to file a wrongful death claim. You might have many questions about filing a wrongful death claim, including whether you could file and how to start the process, for example. Here at our law firm, we are ready to answer all your questions – in Spanish.
We understand how difficult it can be to find legal services, especially when you are looking for them in Spanish. Whether you simply prefer to speak Spanish to handle important matters or you only speak Spanish, our experts can help you. Our team is proud to be able to serve the Spanish speaking community here in Los Angeles. Although our city is largely Spanish-speaking, many of the services provided to the community – legal services included – remain available only in English. Here at Normandie Law Firm, we are ready to change that.
If you are looking for a Spanish speaking wrongful death lawyer here in Los Angeles, California, do not hesitate to contact us immediately. At Normandie Law Firm, our wrongful death lawyers have decades of experience handling wrongful death claims, always fighting for the rights of our clients and helping them recover the compensation that they are owed. If you are ready to discuss your right to sue with one of our Los Angeles Spanish speaking wrongful death lawyers here at our firm, contact us immediately.
What is Wrongful Death and How Do You Prove It?
Wrongful death refers to a death that is strictly caused by a negligent act (or a reckless or wrongful act) of a person or entity. To prove that the death was wrongful, the four elements of negligence must be present. These elements include the following:
- A duty of care – the person or entity who caused the incident owed the victim a specific duty of care
- A breach of duty – the person or entity breached their duty of care towards the victim
- Direct causation – the breach of duty caused an incident
- Resulting harm – the incident led to the victim’s injuries.
If all elements of negligence are present, then surviving family members can file wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim holds the liable party or entity accountable and can result in surviving family being compensated for the death of their loved one.
Different Types of Incidents Leading to Wrongful Death
Many incidents can potentially lead to wrongful death. Some of these incidents include the following:
- Car accidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of a driver behind the wheel
- Truck accidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of the truck driver, although the trucking company, the truck owner, and even other drivers on the road can be liable
- Motorcycle accidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of drivers on the road, although motorcyclists can often be partially liable
- Medical malpractice incidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of nurses, doctors, and hospitals
- Defective product incidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of product manufacturers
- Falling object incidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of property owners, although they could be caused by product defects
- Work accidents – these incidents are typically caused by the negligent actions of employers
All of these accidents have the potential to lead to devastating injuries, like head injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, fractured, punctured organs, crushing injuries, severed limbs, lacerations, etc. In general, the more severe the accident, the more traumatic the injuries – and the more likely that the injuries will be fatal.
Who has the Right to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
Not everyone can file a wrongful death lawsuit. If you are filing a lawsuit in Los Angeles, California, then you must follow California’s guidelines surrounding who can file for wrongful death. According to the law, the following parties can file a wrongful death lawsuit:
- A surviving spouse or domestic partner, a surviving child, or a party entitled to the decedent’s property based on the concept of intestate succession
- A putative spouse, the putative spouse’s children, the decedent’s stepchildren, or the decedent’s parents (these parties must have been dependent on the decedent)
- Any minor that was living with the decedent for the last 180 days and that was dependent on the decedent
Without a doubt, it can sometimes be very difficult to try and figure out whether you have the right to sue after the death of a loved one. This can be even more complicated if you can’t access the legal services that you need in Spanish. For more information about whether you could file for the wrongful death of a loved one, you should really consider reaching out to our Spanish speaking wrongful death lawyers in Los Angeles as soon as possible.
Wrongful Death Compensation
Some of the categories of compensation that could be available for recovery are listed below:
- All medical expenses incurred prior to death
- Projected loss of earnings (what the decedent would have continued to earn if he or she had lived)
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of consortium (for the lost ability to have a relationship with the decedent)
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Punitive damages
- Legal expenses
Of course, the specific type and the amount of compensation that you could be awarded if your wrongful death claim is successful will be based on the details surrounding the claim. For more information about what you could be awarded, we recommend discussing your claim with the experts at our law firm.
What is the Average Value of a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
It is normal to have questions surrounding the average value of wrongful death claims. It can be quite difficult to establish an average value of wrongful death lawsuits because these claims can be very different. Rather, it is important to understand the different factors/details that can affect the value of a wrongful death claim, listed below:
- Whether any medical bills were incurred prior to the victim’s death
- The victim’s earning history and earning capacity
- The age and life expectancy of the victim
- Whether there was any shared or comparative negligence
- The insurance policy limits that apply to the incident
Wrongful death lawsuits can be worth anywhere from $500,000 to $1.5 million for starters. These cases can sometimes reach multi-million -dollar settlements. For more information about the value that your wrongful death lawsuit can reach, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our law firm immediately.
How Long Does it take to Settle a Wrongful Death Claim?
After losing a loved one in a traumatic incident, having to wait long to settle a wrongful death claim could really be a nightmare. Whether you are thinking about starting the legal process or have already started the process, you might be asking yourself the same question. How much is it going to take to settle?
The time it takes to reach a settlement will depend on the specific details surrounding the claim. If things go smoothly from the start (i.e., everything is straightforward and there are no issues), claims can settle in six months. However, almost every claim has some minor issues along the way, so these claims can settle within six to eight months. As difficulties arise, the time it takes to reach a settlement will increase. In general, cases can settle within twelve to eighteen months. In cases where there are severe delays and far too many issues to count, it can take over two years to reach a settlement.
Here at our law firm, we understand how important it is for you to reach a settlement. We are dedicated to helping you reach a reasonable settlement as quickly as possible so that you can finally put this traumatic experience behind you. For more information about how long it could take to settle a wrongful death claim, do not hesitate to contact our Spanish speaking wrongful death lawyers in Los Angeles as soon as possible.
Can I Switch My Lawyer?
You have the right to switch your lawyer at any time. Whether your lawyer is not handling your case adequately, your lawyer is taken too long to reach a settlement, or you are just unsatisfied with the way that things are going – you have the right to switch your lawyer. You can definitely find a lawyer that is better suited to handle your wrongful death claim.
Here at our law firm, we offer free second opinions to help you with this. We can evaluate your open case and provide you with the information that you need to ultimately decide whether you will switch lawyers or continue with your current representation. If you choose to switch lawyers, our experts will take care of all the technical aspects of switching representation – and our wrongful death lawyers will immediately start working on getting you the settlement that you deserve.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Today to Speak with a Los Angeles Spanish Speaking Lawyer!
Our Los Angeles wrongful death attorneys are ready to help you completely in Spanish. Our experts have decades of experience handling wrongful death claims and are ready to help you. We are proud to offer free legal services; these include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our Spanish speaking wrongful death lawyers here in Los Angeles will be available to answer your questions and address all your concerns. If you are ready to speak with our lawyers, contact us today.
Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that you will not be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. We also work on a strict contingency structure; therefore, you will not be required to pay anything until you win. If you do not win, you will not be required to pay anything.
¡Hablamos español!
Si usted está en búsqueda de un abogado que le pueda ayudar con su caso después de la muerte injusta de un miembro de su familia, no dude en llamarnos en cuanto pueda. Estamos listos para ayudarle completamente en español y asegurar una recompensa justa para su caso. ¡Llámenos ya para hablar con un abogado de muerte injusta aquí en Los Ángeles!
