What Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Do?

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things anyone can go through, especially if their death was caused by someone else’s careless or wrongful actions. When this happens, it can leave a family heartbroken and facing unexpected bills and financial stress. 

This is where a wrongful death lawyer can help. A wrongful death lawyer supports families through this difficult time by guiding them through the legal process, helping them seek justice, and fighting for financial compensation. 

In this article, we’ll explain what wrongful death means, how a wrongful death lawyer helps, and why having one on your side is essential.

Understanding Wrongful Death

A wrongful death happens when someone dies because of another person’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions. This can happen in many different situations, like car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, or even nursing home abuse.

In Kentucky, the law allows the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the surviving family members. These claims can help cover funeral costs, lost income, medical bills, and pain and suffering. 

Wrongful death claims are civil lawsuits, not criminal cases. That means the goal is not to send someone to jail, but to hold the responsible party financially accountable for the harm they caused.

How a Wrongful Death Lawyer Helps

A wrongful death lawyer does much more than just file legal paperwork. They offer support, guidance, and legal skills to help families get justice and fair compensation after a tragic loss.

Investigating the Case

One of the first things a wrongful death lawyer does is investigate the facts of the case. They gather evidence such as accident reports, witness statements, medical records, and expert opinions to build a strong case.

This step is important to prove that someone else was at fault and that their actions directly led to the death. The lawyer may also work with accident reconstruction specialists, medical experts, and investigators to fully understand what happened and how it could have been prevented.

Dealing with legal paperwork can be confusing and overwhelming, especially during grief. A wrongful death lawyer takes care of all the legal details for the family. This includes filing the wrongful death claim in court, managing deadlines, dealing with insurance companies, and keeping the case on track.

If necessary, they will also represent the family in court and work hard to negotiate a fair settlement. Most wrongful death cases settle outside of court, but a good lawyer will be ready to go to trial if the other side refuses to offer fair compensation.

Calculating Damages

A wrongful death lawyer helps the family understand how much money they may be entitled to. This includes both financial and emotional losses. 

Financial losses might include lost wages the loved one would have earned, funeral and burial expenses, and medical bills. Emotional losses can consist of loss of companionship, love, and guidance.

In Kentucky, punitive damages may also be awarded in cases where the defendant’s actions were especially reckless or intentional. These damages are meant to punish the wrongdoer and prevent similar behavior in the future.

Offering Emotional Support and Guidance

Wrongful death lawyers also understand that their clients are grieving and in pain. A good lawyer will be compassionate, listen to the family’s concerns, and offer support. They can help ease some of the stress by handling the legal issues so that the family can focus on healing.

Contact the Lexington Wrongful Death Attorneys at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation 

Losing someone to wrongful death is devastating, and no amount of money can replace them. However, holding the responsible party accountable can help bring some sense of justice and provide your family with financial support to move forward.

If you were injured in an accident in Lexington, and need legal help, contact our wrongful death attorneys at Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers, to schedule a free case review today.

We proudly serve Fayette County and the surrounding areas.

Ross Mann Personal Injury Lawyers – Lexington
501 Darby Creek Rd UNIT 48
Lexington, KY 40509

(859) 413-3900