Gilbert Wrongful Death Lawyer

Gilbert Wrongful Death Lawyer Serving Maricopa County

Losing a loved one in an incident caused by someone else’s negligent or intentional actions in Gilbert, Maricopa County, is always a traumatic and emotional experience. Unfortunately, for many families, the loss of a loved one also frequently causes financial strain. However, by filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the at-fault party, you can recover the compensation your family needs and deserves after a tragic loss.

Contact Valley Injury Team for a free consultation with an experienced wrongful death attorney about your case. We’ll review the circumstances that led to your loved one’s death, explain your legal options for recovering compensation, and answer any questions you have about the process.

Why Choose Our Gilbert, Arizona, Wrongful Death Attorneys

When you work with our attorneys, you can rest assured that we’ll manage every stage of your wrongful death lawsuit, from the initial investigation to settlement negotiations with the insurance company and representing your case at trial. Some of the benefits of working with our team are our:

Experience and Skill – Our team has years of combined experience handling various cases. No matter what type of incident led to your loved one’s death, we have the experience and knowledge to help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Comprehensive Legal Services – Our attorneys can assist you with filing wrongful death lawsuits, survival actions, and any other legal support related to the incident.
Customized Care – We believe each case is unique and apply a tailored approach to match each client’s circumstances.
Extensive Case Results – Our extensive case results demonstrate our ability to recover the compensation our clients need, including our multiple multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts for wrongful death lawsuits.

What Is Wrongful Death?

A wrongful death lawsuit is a legal action brought by the surviving family members of the deceased or by the personal representative of the deceased’s estate. These lawsuits seek compensation for the financial and emotional impact the loss of the deceased has on the family.

Wrongful deaths can result from any action that would have led to the victim filing a personal injury lawsuit had they survived. Common examples of incidents that lead to wrongful death lawsuits include:

Motor vehicle accidents
Truck accidents
Slip-and-falls
Medical malpractice
Defective products
Workplace accidents
Criminal acts

Depending on the circumstances of the incident, there could be multiple liable parties, such as motorists, property owners, medical providers, and manufacturers. One important role of a wrongful death attorney is to identify all liable parties to help maximize their client’s financial recovery.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Maricopa County?

Under Arizona law, only specific individuals can file a wrongful death lawsuit and seek to recover compensation for the death of a loved one. These individuals include:

The spouse of the deceased
The children of the deceased
The parents or guardians of the deceased
The personal representative of the deceased’s estate

If multiple parties have valid claims to bring a wrongful death lawsuit, the compensation received through a settlement or trial award will be divided among them based on their proportion of losses. Typically, spouses receive the largest share of the compensation.

The personal representative of the deceased’s estate can either file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a qualified family member or the estate. If the personal representative files the lawsuit on behalf of the estate, the compensation will become an asset of the estate.

Evidence Used to Prove a Wrongful Death in Gilbert

To prove negligence in a wrongful death lawsuit in Gilbert, Arizona, you need evidence connecting your loved one’s death to the at-fault party’s actions. Some of the most commonly used types of evidence include:

Medical records showing the injuries your loved one sustained
Financial documents showing the impact of your loved one’s death on your family
Accident scene photographs
Security or traffic camera footage
Eyewitness statements
Expert witness testimony

It can be challenging to obtain all the evidence needed to prove your case on your own. That’s one of the many reasons you should work with an experienced wrongful death attorney.

What Damages Can Families Recover After a Maricopa County Wrongful Death?

Before filing your wrongful death lawsuit, it’s essential that you properly calculate the compensation you’re going to seek for your loss. A wrongful death attorney can help determine the long-term financial impact the loss of your loved one will have on your family. Some of the things you can seek compensation for through a wrongful death lawsuit are:

Your loved one’s funeral and burial expenses
The wages and benefits the family lost because of the death
The love, affection, companionship, and guidance lost because of the death
The household services your loved one provided
The emotional distress of the surviving family members

In addition to a wrongful death lawsuit, you can also file a survival action lawsuit, typically done through the estate’s personal representative. While wrongful death lawsuits seek to compensate family members for their loss, survival actions seek to compensate the estate for the losses the deceased suffered because of the injuries that led to their death.

The medical bills incurred by the deceased before their death
The income lost by the deceased before their death

For example, if your loved one was in a car accident and stayed at the Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center for two weeks before succumbing to their injuries, a survival action lawsuit could recover compensation for the medical bills related to their stay.

Arizona’s Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death Lawsuits

Under Arizona’s statute of limitations for wrongful death, family members have two years to file their lawsuits against the at-fault parties. Failure to file your wrongful death lawsuit within this period may result in the courts barring you from seeking the compensation you deserve for the loss of your loved one.

It’s crucial that you begin working with an experienced wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. Two years may sound like a long time, but your attorney must be able to gather the evidence they need to prove your case before that evidence is lost.

Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney Serving Gilbert, Maricopa County

If you lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligent or intentional actions in Gilbert, Maricopa County, you can seek compensation for your loss through a wrongful death lawsuit. Contact Valley Injury Team today for a free consultation with an experienced wrongful death attorney and to learn more about how our firm will put its legal knowledge and experience to work for you and your family.

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