Any time a loved one is involved in an accident, it can be a scary situation for the family members. However, if the accident is so serious that it costs your loved one his or her life, it becomes a devastating situation.
If another party’s negligent act caused your loved one’s death, you may be able to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. represents Sayville families in wrongful death cases. We can manage the evidence gathering, negotiating, and legal work of your case so that your family has time and space to grieve.
A Sayville fatal accident lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation for funeral costs, loss of protection, and more.
For a free consultation on your Sayville fatal accident, call Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. at (631) 600-0000 today.
Compensation in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Any time that a party’s negligent or reckless behavior leads to someone’s inadvertent death, it may fit into the legal category of wrongful death.
In a wrongful death case, surviving family members may be legally entitled to recover wrongful act compensation from the party responsible for their loved one’s death.
Some of the items for which surviving family members can receive compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Medical costs prior to death
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of support
- Loss of future wages from your loved one
- And more
After an accident has resulted in the death of a loved one, only certain people related to the decedent are able to initiate a wrongful death lawsuit. This may include:
- Spouses
- Children
- Parents
- Siblings
New York law spells out how the distribution of damages recovered from a wrongful death lawsuit will be split among surviving family members. These laws can be confusing to understand. A representative of Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. can discuss how these laws may pertain to your case when you call our office for a free consultation.
Accidents That May Lead to Wrongful Death Claims
Wrongful death can occur in situations where a duty of care is broken by a negligent act, and an innocent victim loses their life in the resulting accident.
This can pertain to many situations. Some of the most common sources of wrongful death lawsuits include:
Auto Accidents
Fatal car crashes are a tragic reality of life in New York. A negligent driver may be responsible for a fatal car accident with another car, a pedestrian, a motorcycle, or a bicycle. Some of the ways that a driver may be deemed negligent include:
- Violating traffic laws
- Driving drunk or under the influence of drugs
- Driving while distracted, such as cell phone use and texting
- Driving too fast for road or weather conditions
If your loved one died in a car accident due to a mechanical failure, you may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against a mechanic, car manufacturer, or component manufacturer responsible for the accident.
Workplace Accidents
If your loved suffered an accident at work that led to a fatality, there may be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit against their employer. In a workplace fatality, the employer could be found liable for the death if they failed to create a safe work environment.
Medical Malpractice
If a doctor or other medical professional made a mistake in the treatment of your loved one, it could lead to an unnecessary death, resulting in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Perhaps the medical personnel incorrectly administered a drug or did not follow the proper procedure in using medical equipment. Any situation where the doctor acted in a negligent manner when treating your loved one could result in a wrongful death lawsuit because of medical malpractice.
Malfunctioning Product
If your loved one died after a product malfunctioned, causing a fatal injury, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the product maker.
No matter what the circumstances of your loved one’s death, as long as you can prove that another party’s negligence played a role, you may able to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.
To discuss the circumstances of your loved one’s death with a Sayville fatal accident lawyer, call Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. at (631) 600-0000. Consultations with our legal team are fee.
Understanding the Statute of Limitations When Filing
New York has a two-year statute of limitations, or legal time limit, for most wrongful death lawsuits. There may be exceptions to this rule but generally, if you wait longer than two years to take legal action, you could lose your right to recover compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. can discuss your legal deadlines when you call for a consultation.
Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. Can Represent You
At Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C., our team of attorneys knows how devastating it is when a loved one dies in an accident where another party was at fault. We also understand that a financial award alone may not truly feel like the proper compensation for the loss of your loved one.
However, by bringing a lawsuit against the party that caused the fatal accident, you can hold that party responsible for its actions. This may prevent other families from having to go through a similar wrongful death in the future.
A Sayville fatal accident lawyer from Gacovino, Lake & Associates, P.C. is ready to work on your behalf. Call us today at (631) 600-0000 for a free consultation on your case. We may be able to represent your wrongful death case on a contingency-fee basis with no up-front costs to your family.
