Wrongful Death
Death of a Loved One
The death of a loved one caused by the negligence of someone else is usually devastating for the surviving family members. In an instant, the survivors’ lives are drastically changed. Families are faced not only with the challenges of how to handle the financial losses resulting from the sudden death, but also with the grief and anguish of losing someone they loved. Families facing the turmoil after the death of their loved one, in seeking a trial lawyer to handle the wrongful death case, need to be able to rely on a lawyer with experience, knowledge, and a proven track record in successfully handling wrongful death cases.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits
Wrongful death lawsuits are actions created by statute. The elements of damages for wrongful death vary from state to state. Consequently, it is essential for the family’s trial lawyer to be well versed with the applicable law.
Virginia’s wrongful death statutes are found in Virginia Code Sections 8.01-50 et. seq. The damages recoverable in a Virginia wrongful death case are based upon the losses the surviving family members have sustained by virtue of the death of their loved one. Virginia Code Section 8.01-52 enumerates the categories of damages that may be awarded to family members in a wrongful death action, which are quite broad, ranging from the income and services lost as a result of the death of the decedent to the grief, anguish, sorrow, and loss of companionship suffered by the surviving family members.
Categories of Wrongful Death Actions
Wrongful death actions can be the result of virtually any type of negligence or intentional acts. The most common wrongful death actions involve:
- Automobile Accidents
- Truck and Tractor-Trailer Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- Defective Products
- Defective Premises
Choosing an Experienced Wrongful Death Trial Lawyer
Successfully developing and proving a wrongful death case requires a trial lawyer who has the experience and knowledge required to navigate all of the issues involved in proving both the underlying negligence action and the damages suffered by the family as a result of the wrongful death. It is recommended that families seeking counsel for a wrongful death case, select a trial lawyer who has a proven track record in successfully handling wrongful death cases – a lawyer who has demonstrated that he or she knows how to obtain a full and fair recovery for the surviving family members.
Our Wrongful Death Trial Attorneys
All of our trial attorneys have substantial experience and a proven track record in handling wrongful death actions. In addition to the numerous experts we routinely enlist to prove the underlying negligence or malpractice of the defendant, we also often retain economists, grief specialists, forensic pathologists, and numerous other experts in proving the wrongful death and the damages suffered by the surviving family members. We utilize mock trials and focus groups to analyze most of our wrongful death cases. Our goal is to provide the families who have entrusted their wrongful death case to us with a vigorous and thorough prosecution of their case by a veteran team.
We have a proven track record in wrongful death cases, with many recoveries exceeding a million dollars and spanning virtually every category of negligence from which the wrongful death arose, including automobile accidents, truck and tractor-trailer accidents, medical malpractice, defective products, and defective premises.
