It is hard to imagine the distress of losing a loved one, especially when someone else’s negligence caused it. These cases can become complicated, and trying to navigate a lawsuit amid grieving adds unnecessary stress.
When you work with a Pasadena wrongful death lawyer with Venerable Injury Law, you can access compassionate and aggressive legal advocacy, allowing time to focus on yourself and your family.
Our firm is committed to serving our community. With over 30 years of combined experience, we have served over 3,000 injured individuals and their families. Our Pasadena personal injury lawyer is ready to keep serving.
How We Can Help
You may not know what to do next or how to move forward with your life after an unexpected loss in your family. If someone else’s negligence caused your loss, you may have recourse to seek justice and compensation. Some of the additional ways we may help include:
- Effectively navigating the legal process
- We can negotiate with the insurance company or other lawyers to help you recover the maximum compensation available
- Investigate the situation to build your case
- We act as the point of contact for anything involving your case
- We know the value of your claim
- We can advocate for you in negotiations and in court
Our firm understands this is a difficult time for you and your family. A wrongful death attorney in Pasadena can work with you to explain the process and help you understand what you may be able to expect. Venerable Injury Law is committed to protecting your rights to compensation.
We will work tirelessly to help you recover the compensation you need to move forward with your life
Understanding a Wrongful Death Claim
California allows a surviving family member or legal representative to file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover financial damages for the loss. The California Code of Civil Procedure (COCP) 377.34 explains that damages may be awarded in a lawsuit, given there is adequate support that someone else’s negligence caused the death of your loved one.
According to California CCP 377.60, immediate family members such as a surviving spouse, child, or parent are eligible to file the claim.
A term you may often hear in conjunction with a wrongful death claim is a survival action. A survival action differs from a wrongful death claim in that it is made on behalf of the decedent for their losses, pain, and suffering, while a wrongful death claim is made on behalf of the family who is suffering because of their loss. These may often appear together but are different in practice.
Another important difference between a wrongful death claim and a survivor action is payouts. A wrongful death settlement goes to the family suffering from the wrongful death. In a survivor action claim, the settlement goes to the estate of the decedent for the damages they incurred before death.
Statute of Limitations
In any legal case, there is a window of time that you can take legal action, which is known as the statute of limitations. Regarding the California statute of limitations on wrongful death, the general amount of time is two years.
Some situations may warrant an adjustment to this time, but you should speak with a wrongful death lawyer in Pasadena to ensure you understand how this applies to your case.
We will treat you with the respect and compassion you deserve.
Causes of Wrongful Death
A wrongful death is one born from the negligence of someone else. This can be through careless actions or even malice. Some of the cases where we may more commonly see a wrongful death or survivor action lawsuit include:
- Car Accident
- Premises Liability cases
- Dog Bite
- Pedestrian Accident
- Truck Accident
- Motorcycle Accident
Regarding premises liability, this can include anything related to an unsafe property. These may be poorly marked areas that lead to a fatal fall or an unsafe structure that causes injury and death. If someone else’s negligence is to blame, you may have a valid wrongful death claim.
Negligence
The primary factor in any personal injury or wrongful death case is negligence. If any of the above situations occur because someone failed to take reasonable caution, the responsible party is vulnerable to a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.
Your attorney may use the information gathered during investigation and discovery to establish the negligence of the person responsible.
Compensation in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Justice, accountability, and deterring similar behavior is the goal of a wrongful death lawsuit for many people. It can be difficult to imagine putting a dollar amount on the life of someone you love. However, financial compensation is also a significant part of most personal injury lawsuits, and the requested damages in wrongful death cases can include:
- Medical costs prior to death
- Funeral expenses
- Lost income
- Loss of financial or household support
- Loss of guidance for dependents
- Pain and suffering
The value of these damages depends on different factors. These commonly include considerations regarding how the loss has affected you or how close your relationship was with the victim. These include the age of the decedent when they were killed and how they contributed to their household.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are reserved for particularly heinous behavior as a punishment. California Civil Code Division 4, Chapter 1 states they are not meant as an award to the victim or their estate but to deter similar behavior in the future.
If you think the person responsible for your loved one’s death behaved in a particularly egregious manner, you and your attorney may choose to pursue punitive damages.
You are not just a case number – you are our top priority.
Find Support with a Pasadena Wrongful Death Attorney
No amount of money can make your loss feel acceptable because the people in our lives are priceless. When someone else’s negligent behavior kills someone important to you, coping with that loss can be challenging.
Our Pasadena wrongful death attorney aims to fight for accountability for the person who caused the death, justice for your loved one, and the maximum compensation available to you.
Call Venerable Injury Law today to schedule a free case consultation and discuss your options. We believe in supporting our community and strive to guide you to the resources and services you need whether we work together or not. Call us today. We know that coping with loss is immensely difficult, and we feel you should not have to shoulder that burden alone.
We believe that our experience, dedication, and personalized approach set us apart from the rest.
