Call Us Today There’s no easy way to recover from the loss of a loved one. That said, there are steps you can take to alleviate any financial stress you may have in the wake of a funeral and accident. If negligence played a role in your loved one’s passing, you can say so in a civil claim.
Our wrongful death lawyers in Lehigh Acres can submit your claim to a county clerk. In doing so, we can advocate for your right to wrongful death compensation.
The Lehigh Acres personal injury lawyers of Viles & Beckman strive to serve Southern Florida by providing compassionate legal advice to families still coping with the loss of a loved one.
Preparing to File a Wrongful Death Claim
Before you file a wrongful death claim, you need to be certain that you have the legal right to do so. Florida does not allow all parties who knew an injured party to take legal action on their behalf. Instead, only blood relatives and/or a personal representative may file a wrongful death suit for a passed loved one.
If you do not fall into these roles, you can still reach out to our office. Our Florida injury lawyers can help you connect with the parties that can act in your loved one’s best interests.
Alternatively, we can explore what other roads to compensation may be available to you. It costs nothing to learn how we can help, and our accident attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, so there is no upfront cost to get the legal counsel and representation you need.
Expect More, Receive More: Legal Support That Feels Like Family
Compensation You Can Request with a Wrongful Death Claim
A loved one who passes unexpectedly may not have all of their affairs in order. As a result, you may be left to contend with more than their accident-related expenses. You may also face a sudden lack of income or medical bills related to the accident.
You do not have to contend with these expenses on your own. The purpose of a wrongful death complaint is to secure you the funds you need to compensate for your loved one’s passing. This means that you can use a wrongful death complaint to request that the at-fault party pay:
- Loved one’s medical expenses related to an accident
- Lost wages or opportunities for employment
- Loss of consortium and/or companionship
- Property damage, if applicable
- Essential at-home assistance
- Funeral expenses
A wrongful death attorney in Lehigh Acres can determine how much compensation you deserve for emotional distress, pain and suffering, and similar experiences.
(239) 334-3933
Holding the Right People Responsible for Your Loved One’s Death
When you’re assessing fault after a loved one’s death, it isn’t always easy to determine who to hold accountable. Fortunately, our team knows how to investigate the scene of an accident and elaborate on available data.
Our experienced attorneys can break down the series of events that led to your loved one’s passing. In doing so, we can gather evidence of liability, including photos, video, and physical data. With this evidence on hand, we can craft a story of liability based on negligence, deliberate intent, or some combination thereof.
The party that you subsequently hold accountable for your loved one’s passing will then be the one that the evidence indicates engaged in negligent behavior. These parties can include:
- Product manufacturers and/or distributors
- Motorists, motorcyclists, truck drivers, or corporate drivers
- Drunk drivers
- Mechanics
- Pedestrians
- Landowners and/or their employees
- Medical professionals and their institutions
If you suspect that one of these parties or an affiliated source may be liable for your loved one’s passing, let our team know. Our personal injury attorneys will investigate to determine all sources of liability to help ensure you collect the full and fair compensation you are due.
Click To ContactCommon Wrongful Death Claims
Many families come to us confused about what a wrongful death claim is and what types of accidents often result in wrongful death lawsuits. Typically, any situation where another party’s negligent actions or inaction caused a person’s death can result in a claim.
Some examples include deaths caused by:
- Defective products
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boating accidents
- Construction accidents
- Vehicle accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Bicycle accidents
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Submit Your Paperwork within Florida’s Deadline
Many people wonder how the statute of limitations applies to wrongful death cases in Florida. You need to move quickly if you want to file a wrongful death claim on your loved one’s behalf. Fla. Stat. § 95.11(4)(d) limits your actionable time to two years from the day your loved one passes.
Any attempt to file a claim outside of that two-year deadline gives civil courts the right to reject your request out of hand. Taking legal action while you’re grieving can seem impossible. That’s why a wrongful death lawyer in Lehigh Acres, FL, offers to take the reins of your case.
Instead of making you sort out the details of your loss, we can investigate the cause behind your loved one’s death independently. We can call you in for testimony and actionable work once you’re back on your feet again.
Our Attorneys Can Help You Take Action
Once you’ve filed your claim, the stress of bringing that information together can really hit you. Unfortunately, the civil court system can take its time considering your case. The court may not decide your claim for a few months. That said, you can use that time to plan out how you’d like to proceed should your claim move forward.
You can usually resolve a wrongful death claim in one of two ways. If the party named in your claim is open to conversation, you can enter settlement negotiations. Our attorneys can represent you throughout this process.
You can alternatively choose to pursue financial compensation via a traditional wrongful death action. Civil trials do not allow you to press criminal charges against the party named in your complaint.
You can, however, pursue criminal and civil suits against the same person simultaneously. Trials tend to take longer than negotiations but can award you punitive damages for your losses.
Let’s Work Together to Address a Loved One’s Wrongful Death
After the passing of a loved one, you and your family should have the right to grieve. Grieving, however, can be difficult when you know that the person responsible for your loved one’s passing hasn’t faced legal consequences.
Lehigh Acres wrongful death lawyers are prepared to step in and help you level consequences against a liable party. You can work with Viles & Beckman to file a civil claim naming a liable party responsible for your loved one’s losses.
We can help you pursue compensatory damages for your losses so you and your family can begin to rebuild your future. Call us or contact us online for more information about your possible civil suit.
Call or text (239) 334-3933 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
