Losing a loved one is a devastating experience, particularly when caused by someone else’s negligence. The surviving family members endure financial difficulties due to funeral costs, medical expenses, and lost income.
The wrongful death of a loved one may also worsen your mental health. You should, therefore, receive compensation for the impact of losing a loved one. Even so, you must demonstrate how the actions of the at-fault party contributed to the wrongful death.
Our Detroit wrongful death attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers understand the impact of losing a loved one and are skilled to represent you. Our experienced lawyers will investigate the case and work with medical experts, including testimonies, to build a strong case against the negligent parties.
Why Choose Us
Working with a suitable legal professional can make a difference in the aftermath of a wrongful death. At Michigan Injury Lawyers, we combine legal knowledge with genuine compassion to support grieving families.
Our Detroit wrongful death lawyers have represented grieving families for over 15 years, which gives us the confidence to protect your legal rights as a surviving family member.
Compensation for Wrongful Death
A surviving family member or a legal representative can file a wrongful death lawsuit to obtain compensation for the loss of a loved one.
You can obtain the following damages in a wrongful death lawsuit:
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses damages include reimbursement for any medical bills incurred as a result of the accident leading up to the wrongful death of your loved one. These expenses can be substantial, especially if the victim requires extensive medical care before succumbing to their injuries.
Here are some of the medical expenses that you may be entitled to in a wrongful death claim:
- Hospital bills: Hospital bills may include emergency room visits, surgeries, diagnostic tests, and any other medical treatments received at the hospital.
- Doctor’s fees: Costs associated with consultations, treatments, and follow-up appointments with healthcare providers.
- Medication costs: Expenses for prescribed medications, pain management drugs, and other pharmaceutical products related to the injuries sustained.
- Rehabilitation expenses: These damages may also cover the costs of physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other forms of rehabilitation needed for recovery.
- Home healthcare services: If the deceased required home healthcare services such as nursing care, medical equipment, or skilled nursing visits, these expenses can be sought in a wrongful death claim.
- Long-term care costs: In cases where the injuries require long-term care or nursing home placement, the expenses associated with ongoing care can be included in the claim.
Our Detroit wrongful death attorneys can use medical bills, receipts, or credit card statements to prove the medical expenses. They may also rely on expert testimony to establish the necessity and reasonableness of the treatment.
Funeral and Burial Costs
In the aftermath of a tragic pedestrian accident resulting in a wrongful death, funeral and burial costs are an additional burden. These expenses encompass a range of fees, including funeral home services, cemetery plots, caskets, urns, memorial services, and more.
The costs associated with arranging a funeral and burial can add up quickly. Compensation for these expenses can help alleviate the financial strain on the surviving family members during an already emotionally challenging time.
Loss of Financial Support
In a wrongful death claim resulting from a pedestrian accident, one of the compensatory damages you may receive is for the loss of financial support. These damages refer to the income that the deceased individual would have provided to their family if they had not been fatally injured in the accident.
Various factors affect the value of your claim, such as the deceased’s earning capacity, work benefits, and future earning potential.
Our experienced Detroit wrongful death attorneys can assess these financial aspects and ensure that you receive fair and just compensation for the financial support that has been abruptly cut off due to the tragic incident.
Loss of Consortium
When a loved one is tragically taken away due to someone else’s negligence, the surviving family members can experience profound emotional and psychological losses. Loss of companionship refers to the void left behind by the deceased, including emotional support, love, guidance, and friendship.
These damages allow the surviving family members to cope with the loss and access programs that enhance their well-being.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering damages are designed to compensate for the physical and emotional distress experienced by the deceased before their passing. These damages include the agony they endured as a result of their injuries, as well as any mental anguish and stress they faced due to the accident.
Several factors influence the value of pain and suffering damages, including the severity of the injuries, the emotional impact on the deceased, and the overall effect on their quality of life.
Our experienced Detroit wrongful death lawyers can handle the claim, ensuring you receive the full and fair compensation for your losses.
Punitive Damages
A judge or jury may award you punitive damages in a gross negligence case. Punitive damages punish the defendant for reckless or intentional behavior rather than solely compensating the victim’s family.
For example, a tragic scenario where a pedestrian dies in a crash caused by a drunk driver. In this case, the driver’s actions were not only negligent but also showed a complete disregard for the safety of others.
Punitive damages also work as a deterrent to prevent the defendant and others from engaging in negligent actions that led to the death of a loved one.
Where Do Accidents Occur in Detroit, MI
There are various causes of wrongful death, including slip and fall accidents, vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, and birth injuries. Vehicle accidents are a significant cause of wrongful deaths in Detroit, MI. Although vehicle accidents can occur in any zone, some areas are at high risk.
Here are specific roads where vehicle accidents are likely to occur:
- Woodward Avenue: Known for its heavy traffic flow and numerous intersections, Woodward Avenue poses a high risk for accidents, especially during rush hours. Along this thoroughfare, the mix of businesses, residential areas, and cultural landmarks increases the risk of crashes.
- Gratiot Avenue: Another major road in Detroit, Gratiot Avenue is prone to accidents due to its high volume of vehicles and diverse commercial and residential properties. The presence of multiple lanes and frequent lane changes can increase the likelihood of collisions, making it a hotspot for accidents resulting in wrongful deaths.
- I-75 Freeway: As a major interstate freeway passing through Detroit, I-75 experiences significant traffic. The higher speeds and constant influx of vehicles on this freeway create a breeding ground for accidents, particularly during inclement weather or heavy traffic conditions.
Our wrongful death attorney can investigate the accident that led to the death of a loved one and initiate a compensation claim.
Local Representation: Detroit Wrongful Death Lawyers
You have a right to legal representation when negligence claims the loss of a loved one. Our Detroit wrongful death lawyers provide compassionate legal advice while aggressively pursuing compensation from the negligent party.
At Michigan Injury Lawyers, we can represent you if a loved one dies because of the following accidents:
- Birth Injuries: Our wrongful death attorneys understand the applicable laws of birth injury cases and can help hold medical professionals accountable for negligence that led to the loss of your loved one.
- Car Accidents: In cases of wrongful death resulting from car accidents, our wrongful death lawyers can investigate the circumstances, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent your interests in court.
- Dog Bite Injuries: If your loved one suffered a fatal dog bite injury, our wrongful death attorneys can help establish liability and seek compensation from the responsible party.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Whether the wrongful death occurred due to a negligent driver or poorly maintained sidewalks, our wrongful death lawyers have the experience to pursue justice on your behalf.
- Truck Accidents: Wrongful death cases involving commercial trucks often require unique legal knowledge, and our wrongful death attorneys are equipped to handle the complexities of such cases.
- Bicycle Accidents: If a bicycle accident led to the tragic loss of your loved one, our wrongful death lawyers can assist in determining liability and seeking compensation for your loss.
- Motorcycle Accidents: Our wrongful death attorneys understand the unique challenges of motorcycle accident cases and can handle the legal aspects on your behalf.
- Slip & Fall Accidents: Our wrongful death lawyers understand the premises liability law and pursue a claim on your behalf when a slip and fall incident results in a wrongful death.
Fighting the Insurance Company
The negligent party’s insurer may frustrate your recovery efforts by rejecting your claim or making a low settlement offer. However, working with our wrongful death attorneys can level the playing field when facing an insurer.
Here’s how they can help you face an insurer:
- Negotiation Skills: Our wrongful death lawyers have extensive experience in negotiating with insurance companies. We understand their tactics to minimize payouts and will tirelessly push for a fair settlement value.
- Thorough Investigation: Our wrongful death lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation to gather evidence and establish liability, which allows us to build a strong case against the at-fault party. We will present a comprehensive case backed by evidence to strengthen your position during negotiations with the insurance company.
- Litigation Support: If negotiations with the insurer are unsuccessful, a lawsuit becomes necessary. Our wrongful death attorneys are prepared to provide robust litigation support. We will represent your interests in court and advocate for full compensation for your losses.
Our wrongful death attorneys will communicate and deal with insurance providers on your behalf so you can have peace of mind as you grieve the loss of a loved one.
What to Do After a Wrongful Death
Your actions after the wrongful death of a loved one can preserve your legal rights. Here’s what you should do after a wrongful death:
File a Police Accident Report
You should notify the local department after a loved one dies in an accident caused by someone else’s fault. By contacting the authorities and filing a report, you are initiating an official record of the incident, which can be invaluable in supporting your case.
Law enforcement officers will conduct an investigation, collect evidence, and interview witnesses to establish the facts of the case. The documentation through a police report can strengthen your claim and increase the likelihood of receiving a fair settlement value.
Our wrongful death attorneys can use the report’s findings to identify the liable party and support your claim.
Consult Our Wrongful Death Lawyers
You should seek legal advice after losing a loved one in a wrongful death accident. Our wrongful death attorneys will evaluate the circumstances of the accident and design a strategy for pursuing compensation for your losses.
All cases, including wrongful death claims, must adhere to legal timelines and deadlines. For example, the wrongful death statute of limitations requires surviving family members to file a lawsuit within three years after the death of a loved one.
You can lose your right to compensation if you file a lawsuit beyond the three-year deadline. Our wrongful death attorneys understand the applicable deadlines and will file a timely claim so you can find justice for the loss of your loved one.
Get the Justice and Compensation Your Loved One Deserves
The loss of a loved one is a sensitive and confusing time. You’re likely to experience worsening mental health after the loss of a loved one. For example, the sudden and unexpected loss can trigger long-term sadness, hopelessness, and depression, making it difficult to cope with everyday life.
Our wrongful death attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers understand the emotional weight that families carry after the loss of a loved one. While no amount of money can replace your loved one, we can pursue compensation from the at-fault party to provide a sense of justice and ease the financial burden. We will ensure all of your family’s losses are calculated correctly and seek the settlement you are owed.
You can count on us to pursue a fair settlement value to compensate for the loss of your loved one. Contact us online or at (313) 438-4357 for a free case evaluation.