If you have lost a loved one due to the careless, negligent, or willful actions of another person or entity, please seek legal assistance today. At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, we are ready to get to work on your behalf. Our Pittsburgh wrongful death lawyers understand these cases and will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of what happened. Let us recover the compensation your family needs to get through this difficult time.
WHAT IS A PITTSBURGH WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM?
A wrongful death claim is one brought by the family members of a person killed due to the careless, negligent, or willful actions of someone else. This can include the actions of an individual, company, or other entity.
Wrongful death lawsuits are not criminal cases, though there is often a criminal case involved in the death as well. There does not need to be a criminal case in order for there to be a wrongful death claim.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON WAYS IN WHICH THESE CASES ARISE?
There are many ways in which wrongful death cases arise. We are going to cover some of them, but please know this is not a complete list. Always consult with your Pittsburgh wrongful death lawyer about your particular case.
Vehicle Accidents
uring Pennsylvania’s latest reporting year, we know that there were more than 1,100 vehicle crash fatalities. Some of these deaths were caused by driver negligence, including impaired driving, distracted driving, reckless driving behavior.
Product Liability
Faulty products can lead to serious injuries and even death for consumers. Companies and manufacturers must be held responsible for design flaws, manufacturing errors, and product labeling issues.
Medical Mistakes
Johns Hopkins researchers say that medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 250,000 lose their lives each year due to these errors. Medical mistakes are the result of a medical professional’s carelessness or negligence.
Criminal Activity
When a person kills someone during the commission of a crime, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they can be held accountable for their actions.
Workplace Accidents
Employers have a duty to provide a safe working environment for employees. If they fail to remedy hazardous situations or intentionally put workers in danger, they should be held liable if someone loses their life.
WHAT KIND OF COMPENSATION CAN I EXPECT FROM A PITTSBURGH WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT?
If you have lost a loved one due to the actions of another person, you may be eligible to recover compensation. At Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman, we will work to establish what happened in order to recover the following:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of future income and benefits of the deceased
- Cost of pre-death medical care
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of companionship damages
- Punitive damages against those responsible
These cases can be brought against reckless or negligent individuals, companies, and entities. Our knowledgeable and experienced team will not back down until we get the compensation you deserve. When you need a Pittsburgh wrongful death attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 888-988-9467.
The death of a family member is devastating under any circumstances, but even more so when your loved one is killed due to the negligent acts or omission to act on the part of someone else.
Our Pittsburgh wrongful death attorney from Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman explains that the death of a family member is associated not only with emotional distress, pain and suffering, grief, mental anguish but can also cause tremendous economic damages.
Trying to understand Pennsylvania wrongful death law is probably the last thing on your mind right now, which is why it is advised to contact an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in Pennsylvania to help you determine whether your family is entitled to pursue compensation, how much you can recover in your wrongful death case, and what your rights are.
WHAT DAMAGES ARE RECOVERABLE IN A WRONGFUL DEATH CASE?
Getting justice can provide some peace of mind while filing a wrongful death claim might be your best option to get justice and make sure that the negligent party is held accountable. When your loved one dies as a result of someone else’s negligence, there are two potential claims available in Pennsylvania: a wrongful death claim and a survival claim.
A Pittsburgh wrongful death lawyer explains that surviving family members may be entitled to pursue compensation for the following types of damages:
- Medical expenses prior to death.
- Funeral and burial expenses.
- Loss of income that would have been contributed to the family (future earnings through life expectancy).
- Loss of companionship and partnership.
- Pain and suffering.
- Mental anguish.
- Emotional distress.
- Loss of guidance.
- Punitive damages.
WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM?
The short answer is this: in Pittsburgh and all across Pennsylvania, a wrongful death claim can be filed by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. “In many cases,” says our skilled wrongful death attorney in Pittsburgh, “The personal representative is mentioned in the deceased’s will prior to death. But when there is no will, the court may assign a representative. A wrongful death claim is filed on behalf of all surviving beneficiaries.”
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM?
In Pennsylvania, surviving family members have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. If you choose to file a survival action, which centers around the suffering of the deceased person, the two-year statute of limitations in Pennsylvania begins from the date the fatal accident occurred, not from the date of death.
You may want to contact a Pittsburgh wrongful death attorney to figure out whether you should file a wrongful death claim or survival action and discuss other facts and circumstances surrounding your case. Speak to our lawyers at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman by calling at 888-988-9467 and receive a free consultation today.