How Wrongful Death Claims & Attorneys Can Be Key to Securing Justice
You can’t count on others to do the right thing after their wrongs have taken the life of your loved one. In fact, even when another party is 100% at fault and there’s clear evidence of liability, securing compensation after a wrongful death in Cedar Park, TX, can be challenging, especially if you don’t know your rights, what to expect from a claim, and how to safeguard a case as you move forward.
You can find out the facts you need to seek justice for a loved one here, in the information below. Whenever you’re ready for confidential advice about a potential case and what to do next, set up a meeting with a Cedar Park wrongful death attorney near you.
Am I Entitled to Wrongful Death Compensation?
You may be entitled to seek wrongful death compensation in Cedar Park, Texas, if:
- Your husband, wife, child, or parent lost their life due to another party’s negligence.
- There is still time to file a case, meaning the statute of limitations is not up.
- You can prove how negligence caused the death of your loved one.
- You can prove how the death of your loved one has resulted in losses for you.
This is just the bare minimum to consider when determining eligibility for wrongful death compensation. Beyond these factors can be others, like (but not limited to):
- Whether the decedent was partly at fault for the fatal accident
- Whether the decedent was working at the time of the deadly accident
With everything to consider, it’s best to get this question answered by a Cedar Park wrongful death attorney ‘near me’ after sharing more about what happened to your loved one.
What Challenges Could I Face with a Wrongful Death Case?
The obstacles that can interfere with the success of a claim are going to be specific to that case. That’s because anything that occurred during or after the fatal incident could contribute to the hurdles that plaintiffs may face later when they file a wrongful death case in Cedar Park, TX.
Those challenges could include:
- Delays or gaps in medical treatment before the decedent passed (if they survived the accident for some time before passing)
- Admissions of fault, including apologies and accidental admissions
- Conflicting witness statements, including testimony from eyewitnesses and/or expert witnesses
- Extended delays in filing a claim, which could mean less available evidence
- Little or inconclusive evidence that opens up a lot of room for interpretation
Regardless of case-specific details, however, one challenge associated with most wrongful death cases is dealing with insurance companies. That’s because insurers often zero in on ways to get out of paying wrongful death claims — and they have a lot of tactics in their bag of tricks, some of which can easily go undetected by families who are just looking for justice after losing a loved one.
That’s why you want a Cedar Park wrongful death lawyer advocating and protecting your rights when you’re pursuing a claim.
How Do I Know If a Wrongful Death Settlement Offer Is Fair?
Glancing over a settlement offer isn’t enough to discern whether it’s fair. In fact, even if the actual dollar amount of a wrongful death settlement offer looks sizeable, that offer could:
- Fall far short of fully compensating you
- Omit past or future damages
- Undervalue the damages for certain losses
After all, when you look at a dollar amount, that number doesn’t really disclose how much goes towards medical bills, funeral expenses, lost earnings, loss of consortium, pain, suffering, and other damages. Nor does it give you any insight as to how much compensation has been offered for past versus future damages for certain losses.
Additionally, if you’re receiving your first settlement offer, you can expect it to be on the low end because most of these negotiations start low. After all, opponents are looking to pay the least they have to. For these reasons — and the fact that you want to be confident you’re saying yes to a fair offer — it’s best to review and consider settlement offers with an experienced wrongful death attorney.