Wrongful Death

The term "wrongful death" means a death that has occurred through the wrongful act or neglect of another. Legal liability for a wrongful death may arise from an intentional act, such as a shooting, or from a negligent act, such as an automobile or construction site accident.

A wrongful death action is generally brought by or on behalf of the relatives of the decedent. These include the spouse, children and, in certain situations, other relatives and individuals, and the damages that are recoverable depend upon the closeness of the relationship and the amount of support that the decedent provided.

Damages may include recovery for the following:

• Funeral expenses
• Loss of financial aid expected in the future
• Loss of services, advice, or training
• Loss of love, companionship, comfort, affection, and moral support.

In addition to the wrongful death claim, the decedent's estate may, in certain cases, have a claim for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering up to the time of the person's death. The person's spouse may also have a separate claim for what is called the "loss of consortium," that is, the loss of that person's love, companionship and services.

The law in this area is extremely complex. The amount of damages that you may recover can be difficult to assess because they depend upon such a variety of factors that are often hard to value. It also is an area in which you need to be careful of the statute of limitations and other critical dates.

Calton & Burns, Attorneys at Law, have over 25 years experience in personal injury matters. Our experienced team of lawyers will investigate the facts, evaluate your claim, determine which parties and insurance companies are responsible, and handle all of the details of preparing and presenting your case.

We act both as advocates and negotiators on behalf of our clients. We handle personal injury claims on a daily basis, ranging from simple whiplash injuries to catastrophic injury and death claims. We handle claims from the start to the finish, including a professional evaluation of the claim, meeting the legal deadlines, all dealings with insurance adjusters and other lawyers, and taking care of a lot of the details that accompany any injury claim.

Calton & Burns, Attorneys at Law, have been representing injured
individuals for over 25 years. Our team of dedicated lawyers represents
those who have suffered serious injury, financial loss, personal loss
and future damages due to negligence and wrongful acts of others,
including motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle
accidents, aviation accidents, construction accidents, slip and fall
accidents and defective products.

If you feel you may have a wrongful death lawsuit, we will be glad to discuss your case with you at no charge and with no obligation.

Why not give us a call!
(949) 495-3350

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