Wrongful Death in Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield Wrongful Death Attorney

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Has a Loved One Suffered a Wrongful Death in Bakersfield?

Some of the injury cases our law firm takes on involve a death caused by a negligent party. If a person has died in an accident, the family of the deceased is probably entitled to compensation for their terrible loss. You will need the help of a qualified Bakersfield wrongful death attorney. The lawyers at Tim D. Wright fight for accident and injury victims and their loved ones regularly. They may be able to help you receive compensation for your loss.

A wrongful death is where the negligence or recklessness of a person or company are responsible for a fatal accident. The law in California understands that when one person's actions cost another his life, the responsible person needs to be legally liable to pay damages to the victim's family members. This means that when a loved one dies in an accident, the surviving family members might be entitled to bring a civil claim against those responsible for the accident.

Common Types of Cases that Lead to Wrongful Death

Some of the most common types of cases that lead to wrongful death are car accidents, slips and falls, workplace accidents, and medical malpractice.

When an Automobile Accident Causes Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one to an automobile accident is devastating. And it can be emotionally challenging to consider what you should do next when you are so early in the mourning process. However, some individuals report that filing a lawsuit helped to provide peace of mind since they had one less thing to worry about. A wrongful death claim means that something is being done to get justice for a deceased loved one.

A motor vehicle accident that leads to a wrongful death can leave a family with significant stress about repaying medical expenses, handling funeral expenses, and losing earnings from a primary provider. Tim D. Wright can help to ensure that you get the compensation that you are entitled to for medical expenses, lost income, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering.

Wrongful death because of a car accident can happen at the scene of the accident or later when the victim succumbs to their injuries. Although fatal automobile accidents are often caused by intoxicated drivers, distracted motorists, and speeding, almost any kind of automobile accident can cause a fatal wreck. A few of the most common injuries from automobile accidents that later lead to wrongful death are traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal injuries. If your loved one passes away from complications because of their injury, it still falls under the umbrella of wrongful death. As such, the at-fault party can still be sued for their negligence.

Wrongful Death Due to Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are seldom considered a deadly kind of accident. However, this is simply not accurate. Slips and falls can be deadly, especially if the head strikes the ground or another hard surface.

Slips and falls can happen practically anywhere. But some of the most common places where slip and falls occur that qualify as wrongful deaths are grocery stores, commercial businesses, apartment complexes, parking lots, and workplaces. The way your wrongful death claim will be sought is different depending on where the accident occurred. For instance, cases against large commercial companies differ in their parameters and insurance policies compared to slip and fall deaths that occur at a private residence.

Slips and falls can also be fatal when they happen to a senior citizen. A slip and fall can place significant strain on an older individual that they may never recover from. When you are in the later stages of life and all of a sudden you need to be bedridden for a long period of time, your odds of recovering fully are much slimmer. As a matter of fact, falls are the leading source of injury-related death for adults aged 65 and older. And this number seems to be rising.

Workplace Wrongful Death

Workplace accidents that most commonly result in deaths consist of:

• Falls from heights
• Fire and explosions
• Malfunctions or errors with equipment
• Vehicle accidents
• Exposure to dangerous substances or environments
• Accidents caused by improper training

In these instances, determining if there is any third-party liability for negligence depends on how the accident occurred. If your loved one passed away because of negligent conduct of a worker from a different company, that employee or that other company can be held responsible for damages. But, usually if a death or injury happens at the workplace or while the worker is "on the clock", the case would fall under workers' compensation.

Wrongful Death Because of Medical Malpractice

Wrongful death because of medical malpractice is among the more difficult case types in personal injury law. Because of this, you need to be sure you have a competent lawyer on your side when you're handling medical malpractice of any type.

Medical malpractice that can lead to a wrongful death includes:

• Early discharge from medical facility
• Incorrect medication or dose
• Surgical mistake
• Incorrect diagnosis or missed diagnosis
• Birth injury

If somebody you love died as a result of the negligence of a physician, nurse, or healthcare facility, call one of our medical malpractice attorneys at Tim D. Wright right away so we can begin to investigate and develop your case.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Claim

Family members might be entitled to recover for several types of damages and losses from a wrongful death in Bakersfield, including:

• The pain, suffering and grief of the surviving family members. There is not a more difficult time in life than when you lose somebody you love. The feelings and pain you may experience can be unbearable. We realize that no amount of money will make you feel whole again. However, the loved ones have a right to a monetary recovery for the pain of going through this tragic experience.
• Funeral expenses. Almost immediately after a tragic loss, family members have to incur significant expense for a funeral. Part of this law firm's role will be to recover expenses due to the funeral.
• Medical bills and expenses. In a lot of wrongful death cases, the medical expenses before passing away can be incredibly expensive. Often, billing may exceed several hundred thousand dollars. Our law firm will work to recover those expenses from the negligent party.
• Loss of consortium. You have a right to recuperate for the loss of no longer being able to spend and enjoy time with your family member.
• Loss of the future earnings of the deceased. Oftentimes the family member that dies was earning income. Family members were relying on that loved one to support the household. They have a right to recover that loss of future income. If necessary, our law firm could retain an economist to establish what amount your family member would have earned throughout the rest of their life.
• Punitive damages. During a wrongful death case, attorneys will decide whether it is appropriate to ask for leave of Court to file a punitive damages count in the case. Punitive damages are intended to penalize the at fault party for intentional and/or outrageous conduct.

Free Wrongful Death Claim Consultation

No amount of money can appropriately compensate an accident victim's family after a fatality caused by negligence or recklessness. Nevertheless, these family members deserve financial relief that is provided under local and state laws. After an accident, many families choose to talk to a wrongful death attorney in Bakersfield to learn whether they have a case.

The kind of accident can impact what options of recovery are provided to a family and how soon those cases have to be pursued. For these reasons, it is a good idea to pursue legal counsel immediately after a death.

If you believe a negligent party might have caused a wrongful death of a family member in the Bakersfield area, Contact us for a free wrongful death claim consultation or call (323) 379-9995 to talk with a wrongful death lawyer in Bakersfield.