Los Angeles Wrongful Death Information
If you have had the unfortunate event of losing a family member due to someone else’s negligence or malpractice, you may want to contact a wrongful death lawyer. In California, the laws are clear on who is allowed to file a wrongful death suit and what damages may be recovered. First would be the surviving spouse, or children, and they can file separately or jointly. If there is no spouse or children, then the parents would be next, followed by brothers or sisters, then the children of deceased brothers and sisters, then grandparents, and then their lineal descendants. There is also a second group of claimants that may be able to file a claim. These include a person who can prove that he or she had a good faith belief that they were married to the decedent, but not married by law, children of this person, and stepchildren. People in this group must be able to prove they were dependent upon the decedent at the time of death in order to make a claim. Lastly, if there was a non-related minor in the residence for six months prior to the death, and dependent upon the decedent for at least half of their support at the time of death, the minor may make a claim.
Who caused the death, who was killed, and what the circumstances were surrounding the passing of the person who died are all criterion for determining how a Los Angeles Wrongful Death Attorney could recover money for the victim’s family. Some of these circumstances include:
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Exploding Airbag
- Burn Injury
- Brain Injuries
- Electrocutions
- Cruise Ship Injury
- Car Accidents
- Slip and Fall
- Train accident
- Airplane; helicopter accident
- Animal Attack; Dog Bites
- Boating Accident
When you have determined the need to file a wrongful death suit, a civil action for wrongful death will most likely be done on a Judicial Council approved form complaint. A formal complaint will make the circumstances surrounding the death known for the court record, and the allegations will show that the decedent was killed negligently, recklessly, or willfully by the defendant. It must also show the heirs of the decedent are entitled to money damages due to the bad acts of the defendant. If there is a case of willfully caused death, punitive damages may also be sought in order to punish the killer as well as deter others from the same action.
Seeking damages in a wrongful death suit is a complicated situation, and requires the knowledge and finesse of an experienced wrongful death attorney. There are no federal statutes for wrongful death suits, so every state does things a little differently. Find a Los Angeles wrongful death lawyer who can help you in the Los Angeles Lawyers 360 Directory today.