What Happens When Someone is Killed in a Crash?

Introduction

It is important to know what to do and who to turn to when someone dies in a car accident. When a person is killed in a crash, their family members are left with many unanswered questions: How do I notify family and friends? What am I legally entitled to receive as compensation? Who will pay for the funeral expenses? These are all common questions that people have after losing someone in an accident. In this post, we will explain what happens when someone is killed in a crash and how you can get compensation for your loss.

Make sure your family is protected after the loss of a loved one

When someone is killed in a car crash, one of the first things you will want to do is contact a wrongful death lawyer who can help you with the legal side of things and ensure that your family is protected after your loved one's death.

A wrongful death lawyer can help families get answers about what happened to cause the fatal crash that took their loved one's life, as well as work towards justice for their loss. They can also help with insurance claims and other issues related to an accident caused by another person or a company's negligence.

File a wrongful death lawsuit

If a family member is killed in an accident, they may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This can be done on behalf of the deceased and their estate by any person who has been appointed as personal representative of the estate. A wrongful death lawsuit is filed against the at-fault driver or owner of the vehicle (or both). It is similar in some ways to other personal injury cases. However, one significant difference is that it can help replace the financial support that the deceased person previously provided to their family.

Rules for a lawsuit after someone is killed

It's important to note that there are certain rules about when lawsuits for wrongful death compensation and damages can be brought and what kind of damages can be recovered. Depending on the laws of the state in which the fatal auto accident occurred, only certain family members of the deceased person may be entitled to receive proceeds from the lawsuit. The statute of limitations may vary state by state, but it commonly ranges between two-to-three years. Finally, in most states, you must prove that the driver who caused the accident was negligent and that their negligence was the cause of your loved one's death.

Compensation and damages

When someone is killed in a crash, their families may be eligible to receive compensation that includesdamages for pain and suffering; loss of society and companionship; loss of financial support; wrongful death damages; survivors' loss benefits; and damages to pay medical expenses and funeral expenses.

Conclusion

If you've lost someone in a car crash, it's important that you hire an experienced attorney who knows how to handle these types of cases. An experienced wrongful death lawyer will fight for what your family deserves so that they can move forward with their lives after this tragedy has occurred.