The death of a loved one can be a crushing blow. If they lost their life because of someone else’s negligence, it can be even more devastating.
In cases like these, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your family’s loss. In the state of Washington, Revised Code of Washington § 4.20.010 allows you to seek financial recovery if:
- Your loved one’s death is the result of another person’s wrongful act.
- Your loved one’s death is the result of another person’s neglect.
- Your loved one’s death is the result of another person’s default.
A Tacoma wrongful death lawyer can help determine if you qualify to file a wrongful death claim. In addition to proving the required legal elements of your case, a lawyer can also help you prove the financial impact of the loss of your loved one. Contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (844) 777-4453 for a free consultation.
Your Eligibility to File a Wrongful Death Claim
The unexpected death of a loved one affects the entire family, but the law in Tacoma and throughout the state of Washington only allows specific family members to seek financial compensation. According to Revised Code of Washington § 4.20.020, you may qualify to seek compensation if you are the deceased person’s:
- Spouse
- State-registered domestic partner
- Child
- Stepchild
Under specific circumstances, parents and siblings of the deceased may be eligible for financial compensation as well. A Tacoma wrongful death lawyer can review your relationship to the deceased and confirm your eligibility to pursue financial recovery, then get to work building a solid claim for financial compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a wrongful death lawyer serving Tacoma, call (844) 777-4453
Evaluating Your Potential Compensation
Calculating the full financial impact of your loved one’s wrongful death can be a complicated process, especially if you attempt to do so on your own. Do you know how to value their future financial contributions to your family? How to define reasonable costs in relation to their funeral and burial expenses? How to value your pain and suffering? A Tacoma wrongful death lawyer can help with all these questions and more.
According to Revised Code of Washington § 4.56.250, you may be entitled to recover:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Reasonable funeral and burial costs
- Necessary substitute in-home services
- Pain, suffering, and inconvenience
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Loss of society and companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Destruction of the parent-child relationship
- Loss of future income
Assessing the value of your wrongful death claim is a unique undertaking because no two wrongful death claims will have identical types or amounts of financial damages. Thankfully, you do not have to make these complicated assessments on your own. A Tacoma wrongful death lawyer can help you define your specific losses and potential monetary award.
Tacoma Wrongful Death Lawyer Near Me (844) 777-4453
Compiling Evidence in Your Wrongful Death Claim
When the action that prompts a lawsuit is as emotional as the wrongful death of a loved one, it can be difficult to fully participate in building your case. A Tacoma wrongful death lawyer can help gather and organize the evidence your case requires. This often includes:
- Your loved one’s death certificate
- Medical records and bills
- Police, incident, and hospital reports
- Funeral home receipts
- Witness statements
- Your loved one’s salary history
A lawyer can also help you obtain and complete insurance forms, assign an accurate value to your compensation claim, negotiate a favorable financial settlement with the at-fault party, make sure your lawsuit is filed on time if a settlement agreement cannot be reached, and keep you informed throughout the process.
At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, we fight hard for our clients and do not shy away from tough cases. We also work on a contingency fee basis to ensure you pay nothing out of pocket and nothing upfront. Instead, we take our fee from any settlement we negotiate for you—if we do not win, you do not pay. Contact us today to learn more.
Click to contact our Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyers today
The Sooner You Contact Our Team, the Better
Many people do not realize the importance of time when preparing and filing a lawsuit for the wrongful death of a family member. But time does matter, and in a big way—Revised Code of Washington § 4.16.350 generally limits your right to file a wrongful death lawsuit to three years from the date of your loved one’s death.
This time restriction means you must file a lawsuit within the allotted time, or you will likely not be able to file at all. If you do not comply with this deadline, also known as the statute of limitations, you will be left with the entire financial impact of your loved one’s demise and the at-fault party can no longer be compelled to pay any expenses related to your family’s loss.
When our team goes to work on your wrongful death claim, your family can have the time it needs to grieve while we ensure that you do not run out of time to hold the at-fault party financially responsible for their negligence.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form now
Get the Financial Compensation You Deserve
Losing someone you love is always difficult. Finding out their death was caused by another person’s negligence will likely make the pain of their loss even worse. While financial compensation can never bring your loved one back, it can prevent you from enduring financial hardship on top of your grief.
When you file a wrongful death claim, a Tacoma wrongful death lawyer from Ben Crump, PLLC can help make sure you are not left with a financial burden caused by someone else’s negligence. We are ready to help your family heal. To learn more, contact our team today at (844) 777-4453.
Call or text (844) 777-4453 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
