A Wrongful Death Lawyer can provide professional legal guidance
Wrongful Death Settlements May Not be in Your Best Interest
If your loved one died because of the negligence of another person, you may have a wrongful death claim. While no amount of money will bring your loved one back, seeking compensation can help ease your financial burden. An experienced wrongful death lawyer in Rapid City, SD from a firm such as The Law Offices of Clayborne, Loos & Sabers LLP could help you with your settlement.
What is Wrongful Death?
A wrongful death is any death which happens at the hands of someone else’s negligence. This comes in different forms:
- Car accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Gunshot
- Defective product
- Police brutality
No matter what exactly caused the death of your loved one, they left behind someone who is mourning their loss. Any of these situations, and more, could be a wrongful death. It’s important to keep in mind what constitutes a wrongful death and what does not.
Wrongful Death Settlements
Shortly after the passing of your loved one, the insurance company for the at fault party may reach out to you to discuss a settlement offer. They want to settle with you quickly and cheaply.
This is why you need to be on guard. The insurance company’s first offer is usually a quite low offer that they hope you take just to put this experience behind you. It’s important to consider all of your options and to seek guidance from a lawyer if you feel the insurance company isn’t treating you fairly. Your claim could be worth much more than what the insurance company is offering.
Wrongful Death Compensation
The total amount of compensation you could receive for the wrongful death of your loved one depends on many factors. The type of compensation you receive could include:
- Final medical expense reimbursement
- Funeral expense reimbursement
- Loss of financial support
- Lost earning potential
- Your lost wages
- Loss of benefits
- Your pain and suffering
- Your emotional distress
- Loss of companionship
These are all items to keep in mind when you look at the insurance company’s offer to you. You want to make sure the offer covers all of these items.
Important to Remember
If you sign the settlement offer and later realize that the funds you received weren’t enough to fully reimburse you, then unfortunately you are out of luck. When you signed the less than fair settlement offer, you agreed to waive your right to bring any future claim against the insurance company for this wrongful death. That’s why it’s so important to seek legal counsel to avoid the insurance company from taking advantage of your situation.