Humble Wrongful Death Attorney
Mostly due to a pre-existing condition, the nature of their injuries, or some combination of these two things, many personal injury victims do not survive. Some pass away almost immediately, and some linger for weeks, months, or even years before they succumb to their injuries. As outlined below, these cases are procedurally different from other injury claims. Only the best Humble wrongful death attorney knows how to successfully resolve these matters.
The experienced professionals at The West Law Office routinely handle wrongful death matters in Harris County and nearby jurisdictions. So, we know all the procedural rules, even the unwritten ones. This knowledge gives us an edge. Because of our expertise and strong reputation, we often settle wrongful death cases out of court, and on victim-friendly terms.
Wrongful Death Causes
Statistics often refer to wrongful deaths as “accidental” deaths. But in most cases, these incidents are not accidents. People accidentally leave the water running. They do not accidentally take drugs and cause fatal collisions. The most common types of wrongful death include:
- Poisoning: Unintentional poisoning, mostly drug overdoses, recently overtook vehicle collisions as the most common type of injury-related death. Fault is rather complex. For example, many of these victims obtained medicine at a semi-legal “pill mill,” where the doctors freely write prescriptions and do not ask many questions.
- Car Crashes: Every year, vehicle collisions kill or seriously injure millions of Americans. Driver impairment, like substance use of fatigue, and traffic violations, like speeding and failure to yield the right-of-way, cause most vehicle collisions. As a result, these tortfeasors (negligent actors) are generally responsible for damages.
- Falls: The aforementioned pre-existing conditions often come into play here. Many fall victims are older people. These individuals often have pre-existing medical conditions which increase their risk of falling and/or the severity of their injuries. Full compensation is usually available in these situations.
- Swimming Pool Drownings: These incidents are the leading cause of death, and not just injury-related death, for children under 4. A few moments under the water causes a permanent brain injury. The death rate among brain injury victims is alarmingly high.
Other wrongful death causes include dog bites and toxic exposure. Frequently, these victims do not succumb to their injuries straightaway. Instead, their injuries gradually get worse over time and often cause or contribute to premature death.
Your Claim for Damages
Survivors can generally, but not always, pursue wrongful death claims in court. The estate representative can usually initiate a claim as well.
In Texas, wrongful death damages are designed to compensate the family for their losses, and the estate for its losses. Specific categories include:
- Medical bills related to the decedent’s final injury or illness,
- Lost future financial contributions (lost inheritance),
- Emotional grief and suffering, and
- Lost future emotional guidance.
Fair compensation is difficult to calculate if the victim was a small child. So, our legal professionals usually partner with accountants and other such individuals in these situations.
Punitive damages are available as well, in some extreme situations. These damages are available if there is clear and convincing evidence that the tortfeasor intentionally disregarded a known risk.
Connect with a Skilled Wrongful Death Attorney
Wrongful death survivors deserve solid representation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Humble, contact The West Law Office, PLLC. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these cases.
