All deaths feel terribly wrong to grieving loved ones, but when the death was preventable and caused by another party’s actions or negligence, it’s legally a wrongful death under California’s tort laws. No legal action can return a lost loved one, but a successful Glendale wrongful death claim relieves the financial hardship caused by the loss and brings a voice for justice through financial accountability. Contact our Glendale personal injury lawyer to speak to a compassionate wrongful death lawyer who is ready to become your family’s tireless ally.
Why Selecting Onyx Law Firm May be the Right Choice for Your Glendale Wrongful Death case
No one should have to take on a challenging legal endeavor while they are still navigating shock and grief after a loved one’s wrongful death. By hiring Onyx Law Firm, you can expect the following:
- An empathetic attorney working on your case with the support of an entire legal team and staff
- Access to expert witnesses such as medical examiners, medical professionals, and accident reconstruction specialists to support your case
- An open-communication policy with respect to your family’s grieving process
Your attorney from Onyx Law Firm charges no upfront fees. With contingency-based payment, we work at no cost to you unless and until you’ve received your family’s compensation.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death In California
Many grieving family members aren’t certain if their loved one’s death qualifies for a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death is a category of personal injury law under California Code, CCP 377.60. If the circumstances of the death had allowed the injury victim to file a personal injury claim if they’d survived the accident or incident, then the family may file a wrongful death claim. Common causes of wrongful death in Glendale and elsewhere in California include the following:
- Car accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Premises liability cases, such as apartment fires and staircase accidents
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Workplace fatalities
When someone else’s careless, reckless, or intentionally wrongful actions cause a death, it is legal negligence, leaving the at-fault party liable for damages. A wrongful death claim proceeds independently of any criminal charges that might be pending in the case. While the criminal justice system focuses on punishing wrongdoers, California’s civil court system serves to compensate victims, including in wrongful death cases.
Who Can File for Wrongful Death In California?
California limits those who may file a wrongful death claim to close family members who suffer the economic losses associated with the death. The court allows only a decedent’s spouse, domestic partner, parent, adult child, or—if none of those survive the decedent—the person who would inherit the decedent’s estate under the state’s intestacy laws may file a claim.
What Damages Are Recoverable in Glendale Wrongful Death Cases?
A family member’s sudden, preventable death is not only emotionally tragic for loved ones left behind, but it’s often costly. A wrongful death case does not bring the loved one back, but it allows the family to focus on their mourning by recovering compensation, such as the following:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses if the decedent received care before their death
- Funeral and burial costs
- Compensation for a family member’s lost income
- Compensation for the lost income and benefits for the working years the decedent would have had remaining to them if they hadn’t perished
- Loss of household services
- Compensation for the family’s grief and anguish
- Compensation for a spouse’s loss of companionship and consortium and/or the loss of a parent or child’s love and support
Evidence in wrongful death cases, such as eyewitness testimony, medical examiner’s reports, invoices and receipts, and employment records, all help support a claim for the maximum compensation available.
Call Onyx Law Firm to Speak to a Glenville Wrongful Death Attorney
Your family deserves the time and focus they need to work through the grieving process. Reach out to Onyx Law Firm to navigate your family’s financial recovery so you can work through the grieving process and begin moving forward. Contact us the attorneys at Onyx Law Firm to learn more about your rights and options after a wrongful death in Glendale at (844) 669-9529.