Visiting our Madera wrongful death attorney webpage may mean that you have experienced the loss of a loved one. You demand justice for their premature demise aside from an overwhelming sense of grief. You might say that grief is grief, which is true in some measure. However, having someone ripped from this life due to another’s negligence instills a need for justice that will not stop until the matter is resolved. We’ll look at the many faces of grief and discuss how negligence leading to an unexpected demise can be dealt with legally.

As experienced Madera wrongful death lawyers, we have seen clients torn apart by grief when a loved one dies unexpectedly. We understand their sense of loss and do our utmost to help them resolve issues surrounding the person’s death. We work with my clients to give them justice for their loved one’s wrongful death. Our legal team believes in and displays compassion while using our legal skills to help each family overcome this difficult time.

Grief after the death of a loved one is the deep sorrow we feel when someone close to us dies. It is often an overwhelming emotion and can cause the grieving person to feel numb and distanced from others and their daily lives. While this emotion is universal, it is personal and unique at the same time. Everyone deals with grief in their own way. This feeling can persist for months or years as the family members try to cope.

For the most part, while in the throes of emotion, dealing with the cause of the person’s death is not even the grieving person’s first thought. Instead, they ask themselves how this could have happened and what they could have done to prevent it. Overall, the grieving person should realize that grief has a process all its own, one they cannot control. There are stages of grief that happen in their own time.

There are five stages of grief, as described in the Kübler-Ross model. They begin with denial and move to anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The length of each stage may vary depending on the individual, and some may overlap.

In some cases, justice is handed out in a criminal conviction. In others, the negligent party pays financially. Sometimes, both are involved in a single case. For example, an intentional act such as murder will include criminal charges. Whether or not the person is convicted of killing the decedent, a personal injury case can also be filed. If a criminal conviction precedes the wrongful death case, the conviction itself can be used to prove that negligence occurred.

The following video by Madera wrongful death attorney Ed Smith provides insight into these cases.

A wrongful death lawsuit is filed against the individual, entity, or government agency that caused the person’s demise. It is usually filed by a Madera wrongful death attorney for family members. A wrongful death claim is essentially a way for the family or loved ones to ensure that they can survive financially. This prevents the family from losing their home or being unable to care for children properly. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit involves contacting a wrongful death attorney in Madera.

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit is restricted to close family members supported by the decedent. They can file for loss of financial assistance the decedent provided and lose the love and emotional support they gave. If you are uncertain if you can file a claim, speak to your Madera wrongful death attorney. The following is a list of parties who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in California:

• Spouses and putative spouses are both able to file a wrongful death claim. A putative spouse believes they were married to the decedent without having formal documentation.
• Children can file a wrongful death claim.
• Domestic partners can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party.
• Stepchildren who were supported by the decedent can file a claim.
• Minors who lived with the decedent for six months before their demise and were given half their support by them can also file.

Wrongful death claims are filed for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common are:

• Car accidents: One of the most common reasons a wrongful death claim is filed.
• Motorcycle accidents: Without the safety protection provided to those in passenger cars, motorcyclists often suffer catastrophic injuries and deaths.
• Truck accidents: With the number of trucks on the road combined with their size and weight, a truck accident is frequently fatal to occupants of passenger vehicles.
• Bicycle accidents: Like motorcycle accidents, bicyclists don’t have a protective zone.
• Pedestrian accidents: The number of pedestrian accidents has increased in California over the last few years. Approximately one pedestrian dies every hour and a half in the United States.
• Defective products: Defective Products cause many deaths annually. The types of products range from automobiles to exercise equipment to furniture.
• Malpractice: Doctors must provide patients with the appropriate standard of care. A fatality can occur when a diagnosis is missed, or a patient is treated inappropriately. The family can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the physician and the hospital.

California has strict limits on the time you can file a claim. If the wrongful death claim is not filed within this period, called the statute of limitations, your case will usually not be heard. Depending on the reason the death occurred, there are different time limits:

• The majority of wrongful death claims have a two-year statute of limitations.
• A three-year time limit is attached if the death was caused by medical malpractice. This is usually calculated from when the accident happened or one year from when the family learned about the injury.
• If the negligent action was caused by a government entity, the family has six months to file an administrative claim. The city then has 45 days to answer. If the town accepts the claim, a lawsuit can be filed within six months. If the government agency fails to respond, the injured party has two years to file.

Dealing with complex insurance companies after losing a loved one is not easy. Our Madera wrongful death lawyers can help families navigate the legal process. Call an attorney from our law firm today for the help and free, friendly case advice you need at (559) 377-7676 or (800) 404-5400.

We’ve helped residents of Madera since 1982 obtain the compensation they deserve for car accidents, truck crashes, and wrongful deaths.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 10.16.23] Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay cd llo [cs 1151]}