If you lost a loved one in a tragic accident in Leesville, LA, you might be entitled to significant compensation. An experienced Leesville wrongful death lawyer at Antony Law Group Injury Attorneys can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your family’s suffering.
Our lawyers have been handling sensitive wrongful death claims for nearly a decade. We’ve fought hard for grieving families since we opened our doors, and we’ve recovered millions of dollars in the process.
Do you have questions about your legal rights? Call our law offices in Leesville, Louisiana to schedule a free consultation today.
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How Antony Law Group Injury Attorneys Can Help With a Wrongful Death Claim in Leesville
You can never fully prepare for the unexpected. If you’re suffering after the unexpected loss of a loved one, you deserve time to heal and grieve. You may also be entitled to money from the person responsible for your loss.
At Antony Law Group Injury Attorneys, our experienced Leesville personal injury attorneys have years of experience helping clients who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. Let us handle the legal issues while you focus on yourself and your family.
When you hire our top-rated attorneys to handle your case, you’ll benefit from an advocate who will:
- Determine what caused your loved one’s death
- Locate the responsible parties
- Consult with leading accident specialists to strengthen your claim
- Handle all negotiations with the insurance companies
- Deal with the paperwork and administrative tasks
- Aggressively negotiate to seek the maximum compensation you deserve
Our Leesville personal injury lawyers are well-equipped to fight for your family. We have a former insurance defense lawyer on our staff, so we know the tactics the insurance companies will use to reduce your compensation award.
We’re always here to take your call. When you’re ready, call our law firm for a free initial consultation.
What is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
A wrongful death lawsuit is similar to a personal injury lawsuit. An action for wrongful death is brought by surviving family members when victims do not survive their injuries.
The lawsuit is brought against the party who caused the victim’s death. As in a personal injury case, a wrongful death lawsuit can be based on the negligent, reckless, or intentional acts of another person or entity.
Under Louisiana wrongful death laws, the following survivors can file a wrongful death lawsuit:
- A surviving spouse
- The decedent’s children
- A parent of the decedent, if there is no surviving spouse or child
- The decedent’s siblings, if there is no spouse, child, or parent
- The decedent’s grandparents, if there is no spouse, child, parent, or sibling
Both biological and adoptive family members are eligible to file the lawsuit.
How Common Are Fatal Accidents in Leesville?
Fatal accidents are unfortunately common in Louisiana.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 119 Louisiana workers were killed in workplace accidents in 2019. Nearly 850 fatal traffic accidents were reported in Louisiana in 2021. In Vernon Parish alone, nine people died in fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2021.
Hundreds more die each year due to preventable slip and fall accidents and medical negligence.
What is My Leesville Wrongful Death Case Worth?
Many different factors are important in assessing the value of a wrongful death case. It’s important to consider all the facts to ensure you’re getting the full amount you deserve.
Most damages are compensatory. In other words, they’ll compensate your family for a specific loss. We’ll start by evaluating your financial losses, which can be supported by receipts and records. Then, we’ll work closely with your family to assess your non-financial suffering.
Several factors are relevant, including:
- The cost of your loved one’s medical treatment and expenses related to the accident
- Your loved one’s age and life expectancy
- The identity of surviving dependents
- Your loved one’s past earnings and expected future earning potential
- The nature of the accident
- How your loss has changed your family’s life
It’s always difficult to assign a dollar value to the loss of human life. Unfortunately, it’s the only way to get the fair compensation you deserve. Working with an experienced attorney can significantly increase your chances of recovering full compensation, so give us a call to learn more today.
What Types of Damages Are Available in a Wrongful Death Case?
Damages in accident cases usually fall into one of two categories: economic damages or non-economic damages.
Economic damages are those with a clear financial value. Examples of the types of economic damages that your family may be entitled to include:
- Funeral expenses and burial costs
- Medical expenses incurred between the date of injury and date of death
- Lost wages and income
- Loss of household services the deceased person would have provided
- Property damage
- Loss of inheritance
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, don’t have a clear financial value. That doesn’t make these losses any less important. Survivors in a wrongful death case may be entitled to compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of parental guidance and support
- Loss of your loved one’s companionship
- Ongoing emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Damages for wrongful death
In Louisiana, you can usually recover damages to cover the full range of your economic and non-economic losses. However, there is a damages cap that applies in medical malpractice cases. If your loved one died due to a medical error, your damages might be limited to $500,000.
Can I Recover Damages If My Loved One is Being Blamed for a Fatal Accident in Louisiana?
While it might seem unfair, insurance companies often try to blame fatal accident victims for causing their own death. After all, your loved ones can’t defend themselves or explain their side of the story. You don’t have to accept the insurance company’s allegations at face value.
Louisiana follows a pure comparative negligence rule. All parties to an accident can be held financially responsible for their share of the damages–including the victim. If the insurance company can prove that your loved one was partly liable, your damages can be reduced in proportion to their “percentage of fault.”
For example, if your loved one was 20% liable, you can take home only 80% of your settlement or verdict.
It’s important to call an experienced lawyer if the insurance company is trying to blame the deceased person. By conducting a thorough investigation, our lawyers can find out what really happened so that you don’t end up with less money than you deserve.
What Causes Most Fatal Accidents in Leesville, Louisiana?
Wrongful death can happen under a variety of circumstances. Often, wrongful death cases are based on negligence. In other words, the death occurred because someone was careless.
At Antony Law Group Injury Attorneys, our Leesville wrongful death attorneys handle all types of wrongful death claims, including those involving:
- Car accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Boating accidents
- Recreational accidents
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Negligent security
- Defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
- Intentional criminal acts
The loss of a loved one can disrupt your life in so many ways. You might soon see the bills start to pile up as your family struggles to recover. We’d be happy to help in any way we can. Just call our lawyers in Leesville to schedule your free case evaluation today.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Fatal Accident in Louisiana?
Most wrongful death cases are based on negligence. Proving negligence is different than proving fault in a criminal case. In criminal court, the prosecution must prove that the responsible party caused the person’s death “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
In wrongful death cases, your lawyer will work to establish negligence by applying a “preponderance of the evidence” standard.
Before you can recover damages, you must establish the four elements of a negligence claim, which include:
- The defendant owed the decedent a legal duty of care
- The at-fault party breached the duty of care (usually by a failure to exercise reasonable caution)
- The breach directly caused your loved one’s death
- The damages your family sustained because of that loss
Our lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation to prove liability. If you’ve lost a loved one, don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a free case review with our lawyers serving Leesville today.
How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Louisiana?
The statute of limitations in Louisiana is only one year. The one-year clock starts running on the date of your loved one’s death. If you don’t file an action for wrongful death before the one-year deadline passes, you’ll be barred from seeking compensation.
Contact a Leesville Wrongful Death Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Are you struggling after the untimely loss of a loved one? Regardless of the circumstances, our lawyers at Antony Law Group Injury Attorneys, can help you fight for the money you need and deserve. All you have to do is call to schedule a free case evaluation with a trusted Leesville wrongful death lawyer today.