Dublin, CA, is no stranger to fatal accidents such as the one on Dougherty Road involving an alleged drunk driver. When you’ve lost a loved one in an accident or due to someone else’s negligence, you may feel a range of intense emotions. You may also struggle with the practicalities of managing your household and family without your loved one’s support. In addition, you may be facing significant financial challenges due to the death. If your loved one’s death was caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, a Dublin wrongful death lawyer could help you file a claim.

A wrongful death claim can help you recover damages to compensate you for your losses, including the loss of your loved one’s companionship, support, and earnings. It can also help hold the responsible party accountable for their actions. If you’re considering filing a wrongful death claim, it’s essential to speak with an experienced Dublin, CA, wrongful death lawyer who can evaluate your case and help you understand your legal options.

At Autoaccident.com, our team has extensive experience handling wrongful death claims in Dublin and the surrounding areas. We understand the challenges you’re facing, and we’re here to help. To schedule a free consultation with our office, contact us today.

In California, a wrongful death occurs when someone dies due to another party’s negligence or wrongdoing. Under state law, certain family members are entitled to file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for their losses.

Wrongful death claims can arise out of a wide range of accidents and incidents, including:

• Airplane crashes
• Bus collisions
• Car accidents
• Boating accidents
• Dog attacks
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Farm injury accidents
• Government claims
• Products liability
• Premises accidents
• Uber and Lyft collisions
• Train crashes
• Wildfires

In California, the following family members are generally entitled to file a wrongful death claim:

• The deceased person’s domestic partner or surviving spouse
• The deceased person’s surviving children
• Grandchildren of a deceased child
• The deceased person’s surviving parents (if the decedent was unmarried and had no children)
• Stepchildren of the deceased if they received at least half their support from the decedent.

Other financial dependents of the deceased person may also be entitled to file a claim in some cases. These include putative spouses (partners who were not legally married but living together) and others.

If you’re successful in your claim, you may be able to recover a range of damages with the help of a wrongful death lawyer in Dublin. These can include:

• Funeral and burial expenses
• Medical expenses related to the deceased person’s final illness or injury if a survival action is filed
• Loss of income and benefits (including loss of future earnings)
• Loss of consortium, companionship, and support
• Loss of inheritance
• Loss of household services
• Pain and suffering experienced by the deceased person before their death in a survival action

Punitive damages may be requested by the family in some cases. Rather than compensation to the family, punitive damages may be awarded as punishment for the at-fault party for their actions and deter similar conduct in the future. They are only available in cases where the at-fault party’s actions were particularly egregious or intentional. You should ask your accident lawyer whether your family might be eligible to ask for punitive damages because they are rarely awarded.

In California, the deadline for filing a wrongful death claim (known as the statute of limitations) is generally two years from the date of your loved one’s demise. However, other deadlines may apply if the deadline falls outside the usual statute of limitations, such as the following:

• Medical malpractice claims may be filed within three years from the date of injury but may be extended if the harm is discovered later.
• Government claims for negligence that led to the individual’s death carry a six-month filing deadline. Any claims filed after the six-month deadline will not be heard in court. Because of this short deadline, getting help from a Dublin wrongful death lawyer would be a good idea to ensure the paperwork is correctly completed and filed on time.

If you miss the deadline appropriate to your case, your family will likely be barred from recovering damages in your claim. It’s also important to note that the discovery rule may apply in some cases, which could extend the deadline for filing your claim.

Because of the complex nature of the statute of limitations, it’s important to speak with an experienced Dublin wrongful death attorney as soon as possible after your loved one’s demise. An attorney can help ensure that your claim is filed promptly and that you don’t miss any critical deadlines.

If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident or incident caused by someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim. An experienced wrongful death lawyer in Dublin can help you understand your legal rights and options and provide the skilled representation you need to pursue damages in your claim.

Our injury lawyer team at AutoAccident.com has extensive experience handling all wrongful death claims. We know what it takes to build a strong case and will fight tirelessly to help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Watch the YouTube video below to learn more about wrongful death claims and how a lawyer can help you.

To learn more about how we can help you, contact us online or call our office at (925) 428-5220 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Dublin, CA, wrongful death lawyers. We can also be reached online or toll-free at (800) 404-5400. It can be confusing to decide which injury lawyer to call when looking for free and friendly advice about your case. This is why we include links to our Verdicts and Settlements page, so you can look over a few of the cases we’ve handled as well as to client comments below:

• Yelp
• Avvo
• Google

Photo attribution: Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay 

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