Sacramento Wrongful Death Attorneys
Nothing can be said or done to ease the pain of losing someone you love. When that loved one’s death could have been avoided were it not for the careless acts or negligence of another, what would seem to be the most tragic event possible becomes even more so. Families’ lives are forever altered. Emotional trauma is often accompanied by financial difficulties due to loss of future income; the cost of medical bills and surgeries performed prior to the family member’s death; and funeral and burial expenses. When a loved one dies because of an intentional or a negligent act, the victim’s family has the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. A wrongful death lawsuit can also be justified when a person who suffered injuries subsequently dies as the result of those injuries.
If someone you love died as the result of the intentional or negligent acts of another, you should reach out to an attorney who has experience in handling wrongful death cases. At Crowell Law Offices, our Sacramento fatal accident attorneys have successfully handled wrongful death actions. Financial awards for compensation will never be enough to undo the tragedy of losing someone you love, but we have been successful in recovering compensation. Please call us today at (916) 303-2800 for a free consultation.
Who Can Bring a Wrongful Death Claim?
The California wrongful death statute is contained in the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP). The parameters of a wrongful death action may be found here, including who can bring a case as well as the statute of limitations for bringing a wrongful death case. Shorter statutes often apply.
Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60, the following heirs or the decedent’s personal representative on their behalf are permitted to recover monetary damages for the loss of a loved one due to the decedent’s wrongful death caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another:
- The surviving spouse
- The domestic partner – domestic partner means a person who was the domestic partner of the decedent at the time of the decedent’s death in a “registered domestic partnership.”
- Children and offspring of deceased children – if no children or their offspring survive, the person who would inherit the property of the decedent by interstate succession would have the right to bring suit.
- Beneficiaries
- Dependents
- Parents of the decedent if they were dependent on the victim
- A minor – provided the minor lived in the victim’s home for 180 days prior to the victim’s death and depended on the victim for more than half of his or her support.
Statute of Limitations
According to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1, you must file a wrongful death lawsuit two years from the date of the incident that caused injuries that led to the wrongful death. This statute has exceptions when the wrongful death was caused by a health care provider. Shorter statutes often apply.
What Can I Be Compensated for?
Compensation you may be entitled to in a wrongful death case include the following:
- Loss of financial support
- Medical costs for procedures and medical care prior to death
- Burial and funeral expenses
- Loss of comfort, care, and assistance of the decedent
- Loss of benefits and gifts the deceased would have provided had he or she survived
- Punitive damages
Do I Have a Case?
At Crowell Law Offices our Sacramento wrongful death attorneys understand that wrongful death claims can have two purposes. They enable victims’ families to receive the financial compensation they deserve and they help encourage individuals and companies in the future to act in a safe and careful manner in order to avoid injuring another. If you have lost someone you love and believe you may have a case for a wrongful death lawsuit, call us at (916) 303-2800 today for a free case evaluation.
