Wrongful death claims are critical when it comes to holding companies accountable for their behavior. When negligence or intentional actions result in a fatality, someone must be held responsible. Wrongful death actions allow surviving family members to seek justice, secure compensation, and perhaps just as importantly, deter future corporate misconduct.
The tragic loss of a loved one unexpectedly is excruciating. Still, it can intensify the anguish when you find out it could have been prevented and may have been due to another person’s negligence.
Learn more about our Sacramento Wrongful Death Attorney Services.
Wrongful Death Claims: A Powerful Tool for Accountability
One tool for making sure companies are held accountable for negligent actions is a wrongful death claim. Often, wrongful death claims result in a settlement; when they do not, an attorney files a lawsuit for the person who filed the claim, which may lead to a courtroom trial. Even when a wrongful death claim “goes to court,” so to speak, last-minute settlements often take place, and a courtroom trial is avoided.
A Challenging Process Made Easier with a Skilled, Compassionate Attorney
It may seem daunting to think about adding another layer of complications to an already difficult situation. The good news is that it doesn’t have to add more pain to your life and can, in fact, ease pain. This is especially true if you have medical bills and other expenses and face the reality of a loss of income.
Wrongful death claims, which may or may not become civil lawsuits, are an important action that can significantly relieve some of the stress that people endure following the accidental death of a loved one. An experienced attorney can make all the difference.
Types of Accountability that Wrongful Death Claims Provide
Wrongful death claims serve several purposes when it comes to making sure that those responsible for another person’s death are held accountable, and most importantly, people who have lost a loved one unnecessarily have a path to getting compensated for their loss.
- Legal Responsibility: A range of situations, such as unsafe working conditions due to poor ventilation in a factory or a lack of safety regulations in a warehouse, can lead to a fatality in a workplace. While claims against an employer may be limited because of Workers Compensation laws, there are often exceptions that allow remedies against an employer, or possibly against another.
If legal responsibility is proven, financial consequences can result. That is, the company or its insurer must pay. Financial settlements may include damages for medical bills, wages (including future earnings), and emotional losses (pain and suffering).
- Deterrence: Wrongful death claims save other people’s lives. For example, if a company knows there may be financial consequences if safety programs are not in place or equipment is not maintained, they are incentivized to adhere to industry standards and other safety regulations. In this way, the threat of wrongful death claims serves as an effective deterrent for a company to allow unsafe conditions to exist in the first place.
- Reputation: Wrongful death claims and the resulting lawsuits, if and when they happen, can result in severe reputational damage for a company. Negative public attention can severely impact revenue when a company’s behavior or unethical actions hit the news. In today’s cancel culture, reputations often hang in the balance, and companies know it.
- Workplace Safety: Employers are legally obligated to maintain a safe work environment. Claims arising out of a wrongful death claims in the workplace accidents highlight safety failures and can lead to changes in company policies and industry-wide standards.
Making the Process of a Wrongful Death Claim Easier
No doubt, recovering financial compensation for bills, lost earnings, future income, and pain and suffering can take a mountain of stress off a grieving person’s shoulders. The process of filing a wrongful death claim doesn’t have to add more pain to your life. In fact, many people feel that holding the responsible party accountable for the loss of their loved one goes a long way in the healing process.
Hiring an experienced attorney can help. They can determine what claims you may against your employer, of if another is liable. If your claim results in a settlement, you will receive a bill. But if, for some reason, it does not, you pay absolutely nothing. In addition, our consultations are free, and there is no obligation to move forward.
Call us at (916) 438-1819 to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with a wrongful death attorney from our office today.