Arlington Wrongful Death Attorney
When you are mourning the loss of a loved one, you shouldn’t have to worry about the legal hassle of filing a wrongful death suit. When you work with an Arlington, VA wrongful death lawyer from our firm, we work to help you file a claim so that you can receive compensation to cover your loved one’s medical bills and funeral expenses.
When someone’s wrongful conduct results in another person dying, the beneficiaries and heirs of the decedent can file an action for wrongful death against the party responsible. The wrongful death statutes applicable to Arlington County are defined in the Code of Virginia. First established in 1950, the purpose of the wrongful death laws was to provide orphans and widows with adequate financial support, as well to motivate citizens to exercise more care at all times in order to avoid any kind of injury to others.
Criminal charges for wrongful death are a separate matter altogether; therefore, even if a party is found not guilty of murder or manslaughter, the deceased’s family members can still sue them for wrongful death in a civil court. Wrongful death suits can be instituted for an unintentional act as well as an intentional one if the act or actions resulted in injuries that caused death. An Arlington personal injury lawyer can explain how civil wrongful death suits work in more detail.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death in Virginia
One of the major causes of personal injuries and wrongful deaths is motor vehicle accidents. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, the financial responsibility laws protect anyone who suffers injuries or death in an auto accident. Unlike many other states, no-fault laws do not exist in Virginia because it is a tort state. That means that when injuries are sustained in an accident, no-fault laws do not limit the ensuing lawsuits. An Arlington, VA wrongful death attorney with experience handling these types of cases can help you to understand the best way to move forward with your claim.
Under the law, the at-fault driver assumes the financial responsibility for medical expenses and other damages. In most cases, these costs are covered by automobile insurance. Sometimes, though, the insurance carrier doesn’t pay, for whatever reason, or the at-fault party simply doesn’t have adequate insurance coverage. In cases such as these, the victims and their families need a law firm that practices in personal injury and wrongful death cases to help them in getting the financial compensation that they deserve. The results of a 1999 study from the Insurance Research Council showed victims receive an average of 3.5 times more in compensation when represented by an attorney than they would without one.
Alcohol-related traffic deaths in Virginia
Alcohol is a common cause of fatal accidents in Arlington County. In 2012, nearly 6,000 people were injured as a result of alcohol-related crashes in the Commonwealth of Virginia, making for a 7.25 percent increase in such injuries when compared with 2011. In addition to those injured, 229 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related collisions. Accidents involving motor vehicles can easily result in numerous different categories of damages, which can include medical expenses, work time lost, and other assorted economic damages in addition to the most serious, which is wrongful death.
When any motor vehicle operator causes injuries to bicyclists, pedestrians, passengers or another driver in the other vehicle, the injured parties are entitled to adequate financial compensation commensurate with their specific injuries or the death of a loved one. This compensation can include funeral expenses, pain and suffering, medical bills, as well as future projected earnings in the case of a deceased or incapacitated breadwinner.
Work-Related Deaths in Virginia
Of course, motor vehicle accidents are not the only situations at the root of wrongful death claims. Employers can be sued for personal injury or death resulting from an on-the-job injury. Architects and builders of defective roads, buildings, equipment, machinery and more may be sued. Hospitals, doctors, drug companies and other health care professionals can also be sued for personal injury or wrongful death. Manufacturers and distributors of all kinds of goods are also subject to lawsuits for damages where personal injury or wrongful death is involved.
The basis of all wrongful death claims is some sort of basic negligence on someone’s behalf. A driver is negligent when they are at-fault in a fatal accident. A manufacturer is negligent when they manufacture a product that, when used according to expectations, results in the death of the consumer or someone else. A doctor or hospital is negligent when they fail to provide proper care and it takes the life of the patient. Anyone who has been the victim of someone else’s negligence has the legal right to seek damages. In other words, if someone fails to exercise the appropriate level of care expected in a given situation and you or a loved one are injured, you may have a negligence claim.
Contact an Arlington, VA Wrongful Death Lawyer
If that negligence ultimately results in someone’s passing, it is in your best interests to seek out the legal advice of a seasoned attorney who handles wrongful death cases. If you live in Northern Virginia, you can seek the services of an Arlington wrongful death attorney. We know that no cash award can undo the pain of your loved one’s death, but a settlement negotiated by a skilled legal representative can help pay for funeral expenses, lost wages, and other costs associated with the death. In addition, by holding the guilty party liable, you are helping protect those who might otherwise be injured or killed by his or her negligent acts in the future. Call our Virginia offices today to speak with an Arlington, VA wrongful death lawyer.