Pursing At-Fault Parties In Wrongful Death From An Auto Accident
If careless or drunk driving has claimed the life of your dear one, the senselessness of this loss is devastating. The team at Bowles & Verna LLP understands, and we know the shock and grief are often followed by a great deal of anger. You are not alone in dealing with the effects of a wrongful death. Auto accident attorneys at our Walnut Creek, California, law firm have experienced this type of tragedy through the eyes of many devastated families.
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Contact us today at 925-478-5763 to see how we can help you with your wrongful death case.
How can we help? We hold negligence and wrongdoing accountable through the civil court system. At Bowles & Verna LLP, our wrongful death case experience is extensive, and we provide legal representation that can, and often does, bring substantial monetary compensation. Money cannot right any wrongs, but it can help your family to heal and rebuild. To set up a free consultation with a knowledgeable, compassionate attorney, please contact our office today. We are a top-rated firm assisting clients throughout the Bay Area since the 1980s.
Auto Accident Fatalities
Today’s safety advancements have cut down on traffic fatalities, but no one is entirely safe from the risks of motor vehicle travel. High-speed crashes and rollover accidents continue to cause a great number of catastrophic injuries and deaths in this country. In 2014 in California alone, 3,074 vehicle drivers and passengers were killed on the road.
The role of alcohol in traffic deaths is clear, with about one-third of road fatalities attributable to DUI driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving, including texting while driving, caused 10 percent of 2014 traffic deaths and 28 percent were speed-related.
Severe bodily injury will almost always result in medical costs, wage and productivity loss, and significant pain and suffering. When injuries result in death, the family is left to cope with unpaid bills as well as countless long-term losses that are both emotional and financial.
Wrongful Death Cases
In California, any heir of the deceased can file a wrongful death action, and awarded damages encompass losses that are both economic and noneconomic. In addition to compensation for medical care costs, damages can include:
- Lost wages
- Loss of anticipated future income
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of domestic services (such as childcare, cooking, and household maintenance)
- Loss of companionship/consortium
- Psychological treatment costs
To prove a wrongful death case, your attorney must substantiate evidence that the other party in an accident behaved in a negligent or reckless manner that caused fatal injury. The California courts’ adherence to a “pure comparative negligence rule” means victims are entitled to compensation without regard to individual driver liability but awards are affected by degrees of fault. At Bowles & Verna, we move quickly to gather and evaluate evidence for clients, perform expert accident reconstruction, and depose all relevant witnesses. We urge our clients to leave the insurance adjusters to us and focus on their families. Your legal case is in the best possible hands with our experienced trial lawyers. We have assisted hundreds of Bay Area residents with all types of motor vehicle accidents. With a record of results including many multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts, new clients often seek us out by referral.
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Serious And Fatal Car Accidents?
While some car accidents are truly accidents, most are preventable because they stem from a driver’s decisions behind the wheel. Some of the most frequent causes of fatal car accidents include:
- Drunk driving (more than 10,000 deaths each year)
- Speeding and aggressive driving
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy or fatigued driving (especially dangers for truck drivers)
- Failure to change driving behavior in poor weather conditions
The driver who killed your loved one may not have intended to do so. But if they were driving negligently and taking actions known to pose a serious threat to others, they must be held responsible for the consequences.
Can Someone Other Than A Driver Be Responsible For A Fatal Car Crash?
Yes, they can. Two examples include accidents caused by poor road design/maintenance and accidents caused by dangerous/defective automobiles.
In the case of poor road design and maintenance, the local or state government may be a defendant or co-defendant. For defective automobiles, the auto manufacturer could be sued for product liability.
Contact Us Today
Bowles & Verna offers a free consultation for victims of catastrophic motor vehicle accidents. Case fees are individually tailored, with many contingency cases accepted. Please contact our office today to schedule an appointment.