Before and after filing a wrongful death case in DC it is very beneficial to learn about how a case like this will proceed. A DC wrongful death lawyer will conduct thorough investigations in a case to help their clients procure a favorable outcome. However, because the usual main point of contact in a case is deceased in these types of cases, some interesting complexities can come up. As a result, the attorney-client relationship in wrongful death cases is extremely important.
A DC wrongful death case starts just like any other case where a negligent act takes place. Sometimes a person injured or involved in that accident dies right away. A wrongful death case would begin immediately following that death.
In other circumstances, you have situations where a person may not die immediately. Instead, the person may be treated for a prolonged period of time before he/she succumbs to the injuries. In those instances, the wrongful death case still starts at the time the negligent act occurred even though the person did not die until sometime afterwards. In terms of when a person retains an attorney, it’s always best to retain an attorney as soon as possible. Particularly in a wrongful death case, these types of cases can be tricky to investigate and are often defended even though a death occurred. There may also be tangential issues that need to be resolved before the wrongful death claim can move forward, such as opening an estate or other issues related to the decedent that may require the assistance of an attorney. Additionally, it is vital to retain an attorney who may be able to help acquire damages that can ease the experience of losing a loved one. Therefore, it is always best to retain a DC wrongful death attorney as soon as possible.
Investigating a wrongful death claim is a little bit unusual because the typical point of contact, the injured person, is now deceased. What typically happens is a surviving spouse or next to kin such as kids will contact our office and notify us that a particular incident has occurred resulting in the death of a family member.
From that point forward, the investigation portion of the claim is critical. It is very important to secure the necessary pieces of evidence that we will need to properly present the claim. Again, no two wrongful death cases are ever alike but it is imperative for the surviving family members to get in contact with an experienced attorney who has handled these types of cases before. A DC wrongful death lawyer with experience will know what steps to take and will have the resources to perform an adequate and necessary investigation.
In short, the attorney-client relationship is fundamentally different when you have a wrongful death case in DC.
The investigation process in wrongful death cases are unique primarily because the source of the information is no longer alive. Typically, in a personal injury case, an attorney is able to speak with his client, who was involved in the motor vehicle accident, and collect all of the pertinent information.
Because the person an attorney would normally go to for pertinent information is no longer alive, the DC wrongful death lawyer will have to resort to much more alternative sources and methods than they might typically. This means the lawyer will likely have to turn to an investigator; others involved in the accident; witnesses, etc.
It is important for anyone involved in a survival action to speak with a DC wrongful death attorney, who can perform a proper investigation into the facts of the case. The attorney will be able to speak with the family members and properly advise them on all the separate issues that need to be considered as part of their claim. No two claims are the same, and therefore it is imperative for any person affected by the death of a loved one to speak with an experienced attorney, who can properly advise them on the scope of their perspective damages and provide them guidance throughout their claim.
