Wrongful Death: Overview

WRONGFUL DEATH OVERVIEW

A wrongful death claim is defined as “the death of a person caused by the conduct or negligence of another.” The claim is not based on damages to the decedent, but rather it is based on the surviving spouse, family members or even parents. The claim is intended to recover expenses in the absence of the decedent. This includes loss of salary, health benefits, pain and suffering and other factors that place burdens on the surviving family members or distributees/beneficiaries. 

Wrongful death may occur as the result of many types of accidents such as a car crash, construction site accident, semi-truck collision, train accident, pedestrian-car collision, plane crash, slip, trip and fall, a defective product, or medical malpractice.

Survivors/beneficiaries may be eligible for compensation for the following types of damages:

• Sorrow, mental anguish, and loss of solace which includes loss of society, companionship, comfort and guidance
• Any reasonably expected loss in income of the decedent suffered by the survivors/beneficiaries
• Any reasonably expected loss of services, protection, care, and/or assistance which the decedent provided to the survivors/beneficiaries
• Expenses for the care, treatment and hospitalization of the decedent incident to the injury resulting in death
• Reasonable funeral expenses

DO NOT RELY ON INSURANCE COMPANIES

Do not accept any claim before you speak with an attorney.  Many large insurance companies have adopted settlement policies that encourage their adjusters to offer quick payments to persons involved in an accident.  Insurance adjusters will contact you or your family shortly after an accident to try to gain your confidence.  In doing so, insurance adjusters often try to present themselves as the friend of the injured person or the family of the person who was killed in an accident.  The goal of such contact is to settle the case on terms as favorable as possible for the insurance company. 

YOU ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY

Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben is Minnesota’s largest personal injury law firm.  We maintain a national reputation for achieving substantial settlements and jury verdicts for our wrongful death clients.

Our success is attributed to the combination of experience, expertise, and exceptional dedication to the needs of every client.  Many accidents are caused by negligence, so it is imperative that anyone involved in an accident contact an experienced injury attorney.  Please remember that it is vital to act swiftly after you’ve been injured.  The sooner you involve a personal injury attorney, the better we will be able to preserve evidence, gather essential witnesses and address any other important factors.

YOU DESERVE

• Medical reimbursement
• Payment for past and future income loss
• Full compensation for pain and suffering
• Peace of mind in knowing your financial interests are being protected

WE ARE THERE FOR YOU

• Same day, evening and weekend appointments
• Home and hospital visits
• Never a fee until we receive a settlement for you
• We will go to trial if a fair settlement is not obtained
• Serving Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota

Call the attorneys at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben today at 612-377-7777 or toll free at 1-800-752-4265 for a free, no-obligation consultation regarding your case.