Wrongful Death Attorney Fishers, IN
There is no greater pain than losing a loved one in an accident. The unexpected void that the loss of a family member creates can be unbearable. If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to compensation. The personal injury lawyers at Riley Cate, LLC represent plaintiffs in personal injury claims involving wrongful death. We offer a free consultation for wrongful death cases, and because we charge on a contingency basis, you never have to pay out of pocket. Call Fishers lawyers for aggressive representation from a top-tier wrongful death law firm.
What Does a Wrongful Death Lawyer Do?
A wrongful death attorney’s primary responsibility is to get full and fair compensation for the survivors. Here are some of the services that wrongful death lawyers provide for their clients:
- Establish that the plaintiff has standing to make a wrongful death claim
- Identify negligent parties who may have caused the wrongful death (i.e., doctors in medical malpractice cases, drivers in car accidents, nursing home staff in nursing home negligence cases, etc.)
- Determine the economic damages the wrongful death caused, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and funeral and burial costs
- Calculate pain and suffering damages that the plaintiff is within their legal rights to claim
- Collect evidence and review discovery
- Subpoena and depose witnesses that may have been involved in the wrongful death
- File a wrongful death claim with the responsible party’s insurer
- Negotiate with the insurance adjuster for a fair settlement
- Consult expert witnesses
- File a wrongful death suit against the responsible party
When you entrust a wrongful death case to our lawyers in Fishers, IN, we perform these services on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t have to pay out of pocket for our legal guidance. Even if the medical procedure was mishandled, the deceased’s family members may be charged. If you’re getting bills in the mail after a surgery where your loved one was lost, a brain injury lawyer Fishers can help navigate what to do next. As the bills mount around your unexpected loss due to someone else’s negligence, you’ll have the comfort of knowing that our medical malpractice attorneys in Fishers are working hard on your case without drawing a fee until it’s settled.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Unintentional injuries were a leading cause of death in 2020, with auto accidents nearly topping this list. At Riley Cate, our personal injury lawyers handle injury and wrongful death suits around the following types of accidents:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Slip and fall accidents (premises liability)
- Birth injuries
- Nursing home neglect
- Workers’ compensation
- Assaults
- Product Liability
- Pedestrian Accidents
If you’ve been injured due to negligence or a loved one has died because of it, contact the Riley Cate law firm to speak with a personal injury attorney. You want an auto accident lawyer Fishers, IN who has experience with your type of specific case.
What Should I Do Immediately After a Wrongful Death Accident?
It’s important to understand that you may not be aware that an accident with serious injuries will eventually lead to a wrongful death lawsuit. Not all fatal accidents result in immediate death. This happens often in accidents involving large commercial trucks and semi tractor trailers. Our Fishers truck accident lawyers can help you in this situation decide whether serious injuries, like paralysis or brain damage, from a truck accident that eventually lead to your loved one’s death can be considered a wrongful death. What’s more, under Indiana wrongful death law, the plaintiff has two years from the date of death to bring a wrongful death suit against the defendant. That means that a wrongful death lawyer must receive the claim, collect evidence, consult medical experts and accident reconstruction experts, prepare a demand letter for the insurer, and handle other case-related tasks within that time frame. That’s why it’s essential to contact a wrongful death attorney as early as possible — even before the date of death, assuming that there are known personal injuries. Here are some things you can do to help your case:
- Preserve all information you’ve collected for your personal injury lawyers — doctor bills, photographs, witness contact information, and anything else that you think would help your personal injury case.
- Wait until you speak with a wrongful death attorney before filing your claim with the insurance company.
- Schedule a free consultation with a Riley Cate wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. We recognize how difficult it is to talk about the loss of a loved one right after they passed, but it’s important that we begin the legal process quickly. Call today so we can give you the attention your case requires.
Relevant Indiana Wrongful Death Laws
Under Indiana personal injury law, only the personal representative of the estate can file a wrongful death lawsuit. This is the person named as the personal representative in the will. If there is no will, then the legal right falls to the next of kin — the spouse, adult child, sibling, parent, etc. A parent must file a claim if the victim is a minor.
Fisher, IN, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
Riley Cate assists clients who have lost loved ones due to negligence. During your initial consultation, we can determine the legal viability of your case, who the responsible party or parties are, whether you would be considered the personal representative under the law, and more. Call today to speak to an Indianapolis personal injury lawyer handling injury claims in Fishers, IN.