Wrongful Death Lawyer - Lafayette, LA

While a wrongful death claim seeks damages caused by the victim’s death, survival action claims seek damages the victim could have recovered had they not died. These damages could include medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, etc.

Wrongful death cases involve the survivors of a victim who died due to the negligent action of others. These survivors can make a claim to recover financial compensation for funeral expenses, medical bills, and other damages. Not everyone is qualified for a wrongful death award which is why it’s important to first schedule a legal consultation.

This varies widely from case to case depending on the specific factors at play. Sometimes there is not much question that the defendant is at fault, and a settlement or decision can be reached relatively quickly. In other cases, if there are complicating factors such as lack of the victim’s account of what transpired, it might take longer. It’s difficult to give a time estimate without knowing the facts of a particular case.

You can, though the case is likely to be categorized as a medical malpractice lawsuit in such circumstances. There are a number of additional factors that must be considered in medical malpractice cases, of which your attorney can inform you.

You can bring wrongful death actions against a wide variety of people or entities. Just a few examples include the driver at fault in a fatal car accident, the manufacturer of a dangerous product, the operator of dangerous equipment or the designer of a faulty roadway. Anyone who is liable in a fatal accident can be the defendant in a wrongful death case.

The person who files the lawsuit must be someone who represents survivors of the deceased. People who can be compensated as part of the suit include immediate family members, parents, spouses, siblings and dependents.