The loss of a family member is incredibly hard to navigate from a grief perspective, but it is even more challenging when you learn someone else is responsible for what happened. At MartinWren, P.C., our Bedford wrongful death lawyer can help you begin to learn who is responsible and what legal steps may be available to hold them accountable.
We would happily offer a free consultation with no obligation to move forward. Let us answer your questions. Talk to our Bedford personal injury lawyer, who represents many clients annually, today about your case.
Types of Wrongful Death Cases Our Attorney Handles
In any situation where you believe your family member died at the hands of another person or business, reach out to our wrongful death lawyer in Bedford for immediate guidance. We will discuss any situation with you and offer fair, honest, and transparent guidance on what your rights are. Some of the most common types of wrongful death cases we handle include:
- Medical malpractice: A doctor, hospital, nurse, or another medical provider caused the death of your family member
- Vehicle accidents: A car, truck, bus, or motorcycle accident brought on by the mistakes or negligence of another person, city, or organization
- Work injuries: Work injuries such as falls, vehicle accidents, crushing accidents, electrocution, and illness-related losses
- Pedestrian accidents: Being struck by a car or truck, or otherwise suffering an accident as the result of another person’s fault
- Premises liability: Suffering a serious injury resulting in death on another person’s property
Even in situations where you may not be sure your loved one’s death was due to negligence, our attorney will investigate, gather valuable evidence, and build a strong case for you within the letter of the law.
If anyone approaches you to offer a settlement for the losses incurred, we strongly advise you not to make a decision until you speak to our Bedford car accident lawyer about it. This often means they want you to agree to a sum that is not what you are truly owed.
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call (434) 817-3100
How to Prove Wrongful Death
To prove wrongful death in a Bedford accident or illness, we must demonstrate that the at-fault party was negligent. This is a complex process because there are many elements that must come together to demonstrate this. To prove negligence, our legal team must demonstrate the following as it applies to your loved one’s loss:
- Duty of care: Did the party that you named as being at fault owe a duty of care to the victim? An employer must maintain the safety of employees. A doctor must provide medical services to the patient and be their caregiver.
- Breach of duty of care: The duty of care did not occur for some reason. For example, the driver of a car was intoxicated, or the employer failed to provide safety equipment as required.
- Caused accident: Demonstrate that the breach of the duty of care is what directly caused the accident to occur. The accident happened because the driver was intoxicated, blacked out, and struck your loved one’s car.
- Losses were suffered: The losses in this case relate to the loss of life of your loved one and other losses related to the incident.
With our experience, you can expect our wrongful death attorney in Bedford to work aggressively to protect your rights in these cases. Expect us to fight for you and your family members’ justice so that you can have a small amount of peace of mind. Do not settle until you speak to our Bedford motorcycle accident lawyer at MartinWren, P.C.
Potential Compensation in a Wrongful Death Case
Under § 8.01-50 of Virginia law, it is clear that if another person causes the loss of life to another, they are responsible financially for the incident. The estate or family can recover various types of compensation and damages, but it is very case-specific. Some examples of the types of losses that may be owed to you in these situations include:
- Medical expenses from the accident through death, including emergency care costs, medical services, and any type of related costs
- Funeral and burial expenses are considered reasonable
- Loss of income from any missed time at work from the period of the accident through the date of death
- Loss of wages and earnings for dependents
- Loss of benefits, including loss of inheritance, retirement benefits, investments, and others
- Pain and suffering from the victim and those left behind
- Loss of consortium, including companionship and affection
- Emotional dress for family members
In each of these situations, our attorney knows there is no way to put a true value on a person’s life, but we can apply the legal standards acceptable to seek compensation under the law. You may not want to take these steps initially because it is painful to do so. Yet, these funds may help you recover and maintain your quality of life when someone else takes that opportunity away from you.
Bedford Wrongful Death Lawyer Near Me (434) 817-3100
Factors That Contribute to Value
To determine the value of any non-economic damages listed above, such as loss of earning capacity and pain and suffering, the court will consider a variety of factors. No two cases are the same. Some examples include:
- The state of a person’s life at the time of the accident
- The victim’s age
- The victim’s earning capacity based on previous earnings
- The occupation of the person who died
- Their life expectancy had they survived
- Any losses they would have recovered had they survived
With guidance, we can pursue fair compensation for you under the law. Do not agree to any settlement if you are not sure it fits your needs and is truly fair. It can be hard to know that, which is one of the reasons we offer free consultations as a starting point.
Set Up a Free Consultation to Discuss Your Case with a Bedford Wrongful Death Attorney
At MartinWren, P.C., we expect to fight for your loved one with every element the law allows, knowing just how painful this incident can be.
You can trust that our experienced and dedicated Bedford wrongful death lawyer will guide you every step of the way through this process. Set up a free consultation now.
Call (434) 817-3100 or complete a Case Evaluation form
