BOCA RATON WRONGFUL DEATH
BOCA RATON WRONGFUL DEATH LAWYER
A wrongful death lawsuit allows surviving family members to receive compensation when a loved one dies. Of course, no amount of money can ever replace a spouse, child, or parent. But money is all a court can give you. And many people find that they are worse off financially after the death, so the compensation is vital to help them move on. Instead of suffering the financial consequences yourself, you can sue the person who is responsible for the death.
At Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, our wrongful death lawyers have helped many grieving family members get the monetary compensation they deserve. Contact us today.
What is a Wrongful Death?
Not every death is wrongful. Instead, the person, business, or entity who caused the death committed some act that they shouldn’t have committed. This can include:
- Negligence, such as forgetting to look in the rearview mirror when backing up, running over someone in the process
- Recklessness, such as running a red light and hitting someone
- Intentional violent acts, such as assault or homicide
Our experience includes bringing wrongful death cases for someone killed by car accidents, truck accidents, medical mistakes, and defective products. If a loved one died, don’t assume you have no case. Instead, reach out to a Boca Raton wrongful death attorney today.
Who Files the Lawsuit?
The personal representative of the estate actually files the lawsuit. This person should be named in your loved one’s will or, if he had no will, will be appointed by the probate court.
Although the representative files, the case is brought on behalf of family members, who will receive compensation in the event they are successful. Family members who can receive compensation include a spouse, child, parent, or other dependent blood relative.
The state’s statute of limitations gives the representative only 4 years from the date of death to file. In some narrow situations, the representative will get more time.
What Compensation is Available?
Under Florida’s law, family members can receive compensation for the following:
- The value of lost support and services provided by the deceased
- Reimbursement for any medical expenses a family member paid
- Loss of companionship, if your spouse has died
- Emotional pain and suffering (in some situations)
- Other damages
The estate might also be able to receive compensation for certain losses, such as lost earnings and lost future earnings, lost benefits, and any funeral and burial expenses paid by the estate. The compensation the estate receives will then be distributed according to the will or Florida’s law on intestate succession.
If the defendant’s conduct was malicious or intentional, then the defendant might also need to pay punitive damages. These damages punish a defendant whose conduct was particularly reprehensible. Punitive damages might be available if the defendant intentionally harmed your loved one (instead of being merely careless).
Contact a Boca Raton Wrongful Death Lawyer Now
In your moments of grief, the last thing you need to worry about is how you will support your family. Let us handle the legal work of analyzing whether you have a wrongful death claim. We can also help the personal representative file the suit.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.