Memphis Wrongful Death Lawyer | Fatal Accident Attorney

If you’ve lost a loved one due to the negligence or willful act of another person or party, you could be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit. A wrongful death action is filed in civil court and seeks to hold the at-fault party financially responsible for negligent actions. This means that even if a person is acquitted of murder or manslaughter charges in criminal court, he or she could still be held liable through a civil lawsuit.

Let our well-practiced attorneys be your voice during this challenging time. We are prepared to handle all of the legal legwork on your behalf so that you can focus on grieving your loved one and being with your family. A Memphis wrongful death lawyer will work to get answers as to why this tragic event happened and will seek full and fair compensation from the party responsible.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Memphis?

If the victim did not have a spouse, the claim will fall to his or her children, siblings, parents, or the personal representative of the estate.

Generally speaking, there are two ways in which compensation is awarded – damages from the initial incident and the pain and suffering of the victim, and damages awarded due to losses experienced by the next-of-kin following the victim’s death.

In the case of the victim’s losses, this generally covers:

Final medical expenses
Funeral and burial expenses

For next of kin, this includes:

Mental and physical suffering
Loss of necessary expenses
Loss of time

We understand that these can be complex concepts. The sensitive wrongful death attorneys at the Reaves Law Firm, PLLC are here to help you understand how the claims process works as well as help you understand your legal options following the unexpected loss of someone close to you.

Causes of Untimely Passing

Unintentional injuries are the third-leading cause of the death in the United States as of 2016, with over 160,000 unintentional injury deaths across the United States that year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some of these cases would fall into the category of “wrongful death,” in which negligence of some kind contributed to the accident. Common causes of wrongful death may include:

The trusted Memphis wrongful death attorneys of Reaves Law Firm, PLLC have extensive experience helping families across Tennessee get the compensation they need and a measure of justice for their loved one.

What is the Burden of Proof in Memphis?

The most important element of any wrongful death claim is negligence. Negligence is a legal term, generally meaning that a person did not exercise a level of caution that a reasonable person would have under those same circumstances. In other words, this person or company had the choice to exercise care and caution but did not do so.

Depending on the specific circumstances, a person could be considered negligent if they:

Operated a vehicle while distracted, drowsy, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Failed to address a hazardous condition on their property
Failed to provide an acceptable standard of care (in the case of medical malpractice)
Did not adequately restrain their dog

These are only a few examples of negligence that could warrant a wrongful death claim if someone dies as a result. Your lawyer will need to collect evidence that demonstrates negligence and proves that the at-fault party failed in their duty to protect your loved one from harm.

Proving negligence can be challenging, so it is crucial to contact a skilled wrongful death attorney as soon as possible after an accident has claimed the life of someone close to you. Crucial evidence can be cleaned up, lost, or covered up as time progresses, so your lawyer will want to commence an investigation right away.

Contact a Memphis Wrongful Death Attorney for Legal Guidance

The untimely death of a loved one can be devastating for you and your family. It can be even more difficult to cope with knowing that their death could have been prevented if someone had not behaved negligently. We understand what you are going through, and a committed Memphis wrongful death lawyer is here to help you get a measure of justice.

Our firm’s motto, Let Us Be Your Voice, sums up our mission: to represent your interests fairly and ensure your family’s needs are not ignored by the at-fault party or big insurance companies after a tragic loss.

If a family member or other loved one has died as a result of another’s negligence or through the willful actions of another person, you and your family may be entitled to significant financial compensation. You should contact a lawyer as soon as you can because Tennessee has a one-year statute of limitations on wrongful death claims, meaning there is limited time to pursue a case.

Call the dedicated team of attorneys at the Reaves Law Firm, PLLC today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Our legal professionals are here to provide you counsel and support during this difficult time. We do not charge any fees upfront to start work on a wrongful death claim, and you don’t pay us unless we recover money for your family.