The death of a loved one is one of the most challenging circumstances any of us will ever experience. With that said, the belief that your loved one’s death was preventable increases the magnitude of the tragedy. If you are in Center Point and wondering how to pick up the pieces after losing a loved one, you may want to consider how a Center Point wrongful death lawyer can help you.
Cory Watson Attorneys has spent nearly 40 years fighting for the rights of surviving family members in wrongful death cases. Our attorneys understand the tremendous loss our clients feel after the preventable death of a loved one. Although we cannot replace your loved one, we can fight for your rights to demand recoverable damages from the negligent party.
What is Wrongful Death?
Whenever someone who would otherwise still be alive dies prematurely due to the negligence of another person (or people), it could be wrongful death. Wrongful death accidents can arise out of several different actions, including but not limited to the following:
- Medical malpractice
- Driving while intoxicated
- Reckless discharge of a firearm
- Nursing home abuse
- Reckless driving
- Workplace accidents
- Construction accidents
- Criminal activity
Bear in mind that this is only a partial list of behaviors and accidents that can cause wrongful death. In addition, you could seek damages for wrongful death even if the party you are pursuing was found innocent of having committed any crime(s).
How Can a Wrongful Death Attorney Help with My Claim?
If you are going to demand recoverable damages for wrongful death, you need to be able to prove your loved one died as a result of negligence. An attorney from our firm can look at the circumstances surrounding the death of your loved one. Part of that process includes tasks like:
- Interviewing witnesses
- Demanding documentary evidence
- Consulting with health professionals
We can also negotiate directly with the insurer or attorney for the party whose negligence caused the death of your loved one. This is particularly important because dealing with insurance companies and attorneys that do not represent you is difficult under the best circumstances. Getting to the truth becomes even harder when you are trying to get answers or accountability out of them regarding a wrongful death case.
Your right to seek damages for wrongful death means the negligent party may have a financial incentive to keep certain information from you. As your attorneys, we can subpoena evidence that may prove negligence caused the death of your loved one. We can help you hold the negligent party accountable. We have won multi-million dollar wrongful death verdicts for clients, and we will do everything we can to win your case.
What Kind of Damages Can I Pursue in a Wrongful Death Case?
In many states, recoverable damages for wrongful death cases are split into different categories, such as lost income or pain and suffering. However, Alabama law works differently when it comes to wrongful death cases. In Alabama, courts and juries only award "punitive damages."
That means as opposed to adding up a lifetime of lost wages and accident-related medical bills for your loved one. The court bases their penalty on what they think is an appropriate punishment for the negligent party in your case. This award is designed to hold them accountable and serve as a preventative measure to discourage others from engaging in similar activity.
This underscores the importance of having a law firm experienced with wrongful death cases and trials. In addition to establishing liability, it is critically important for your attorney to convey the magnitude of your loss to the court.
Your Time is Limited to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Alabama
Like most states, Alabama has a statute of limitations on wrongful death cases. You have two years from the death of your loved one to demand damages from the negligent party per AL Code § 6-5-410. We understand the death of a loved one is always traumatic and that you may want to take some time to grieve before considering legal action.
However, if you are thinking of seeking damages, we advise that you contact us as soon as possible. The earlier we can begin working on a plan of action and request evidence, the better our chances of winning your case.
As time passes, it becomes more likely that witnesses will forget critical details or move out of the area. It also becomes more likely that valuable physical evidence like video or cell phone camera footage will be deleted in your case.
Do I Have a Wrongful Death Claim?
If you believe your loved one died unnecessarily, we invite you to call us for a free case review to discuss your claim. Then, after we have a full understanding of the circumstances that led to the tragic death of your loved one, we will be in a better position to advise about the relative strength of your case.
The case review is free because we do not want anything to dissuade a potential client from reaching out to us with any questions. There will be no obligation, and you will still be free to decide whether you want us to help you pursue damages.
We believe a good client relationship starts with trust. One of the best ways to build that trust is to give you the benefit of our knowledge and experience in a non-threatening, zero-pressure fashion. So, you have nothing to lose in reaching out to us. Remember, we are here to help you.
Get Help with Your Case from Our Wrongful Death Attorneys Today
The wrongful death of a loved one is a profound personal tragedy. However, if you believe you lost a loved one due to someone else's negligence and want to hold them accountable, Cory Watson Attorneys is here to help you do it. We are committed to doing all we can to help our clients, and the last thing we want you to worry about is our fee.
We take wrongful death cases on a contingency basis, which means you do not pay us a fee unless we win your case. We know this is one of the most challenging times of your life. The least we can do is make it as easy as possible for you to seek justice. If you would like to find out how we can do that together, all that is left for you to do is call our office. We are standing by and, more importantly, ready to fight.