Redondo Beach Wrongful Death Lawyers
There is nothing worse than losing a beloved family member. When that person died due to another party’s reckless or negligent behavior, the loss is even harder, because the death was avoidable. Besides your grief, you fear the future now that your loved one is gone.
The Redondo Beach personal injury lawyers at Ellis Injury Law can protect your rights while determining who was responsible for the death and hold them accountable. Over the past quarter-century, our dedicated attorneys have won more than $350 million in verdicts and settlements for clients.
Wrongful death causes
While many situations may result in wrongful death, the most common include:
- Motor vehicle accidents –In 2018, 3,651 people lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents in California. Many of these fatalities may warrant a wrongful death lawsuit if the death was caused by the other driver’s negligence or recklessness. Examples include drunken driving, distracted driving, and speeding.
- Truck accidents –A substantial number of truck accidents result in fatalities of occupants of the smaller vehicle. These deaths may occur not just because of driver error but are frequently due to poor maintenance or other factors on the part of the trucking company and other entities.
- Defective products –Manufacturers have the responsibility to ensure their products are safe when used as directed. When a death involves a defective product, including defective drugs, the manufacturer, designer, retailer, and other parties may prove liable.
- Medical malpractice –Wrongful death in medical malpractice runs the gamut from surgical or anesthesia errors, improper prescriptions, misdiagnosis, and more.
- Manslaughter and murder –Besides recklessness or negligence, intentional acts fall under wrongful death. A wrongful death lawyer can bring a civil action against the perpetrator, which is entirely separate from the criminal trial.
Wrongful death damages
Economic damages available in a wrongful death lawsuit include:
- Funeral and burial costs
- Lost wages and benefits
- Financial support value
- Household services value
Surviving family members may receive non-economic damages for their loss, including the loss of love, companionship, training, and guidance provided by the deceased.
Who can file?
Under California law, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit in the following priority:
- Spouse
- Domestic partner
- Children
If the decedent did not leave behind any of these surviving family members, parents, siblings, and others may file, based on the California law of intestate succession. Under the statute of limitations, a wrongful death lawsuit typically requires filing within two years of the death date.
Contact Redondo Beach wrongful death lawyers
If you have lost a family member through the actions of another party, you need the services of a compassionate personal injury attorney at Ellis Injury Law. We understand the pain you and your family are going through and can help you in this difficult time. Call us 24/7 or contact us online to arrange a free consultation. We will review the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death and advise you of your options. We work on a contingency basis, so there is no fee unless we win.