Not only does losing a loved one in a fatal car accident cause a great deal of grief for your family, but it can also leave you struggling financially with your loved one’s final expenses, the loss of your loved one’s income, and the loss of the support your loved one provided to the family.
By working with a Hampton car accident lawyer like John Foy & Associates, you can learn more about your family’s right to file a wrongful death claim and the steps you should take after the accident to help maximize the compensation you can recover.
Wrongful Death Claims After a Hampton Fatal Car Accident: Who Can File?
In order to file a wrongful death claim, you may need to meet several criteria. Talk to a fatal car accident lawyer in Hampton to learn whether your family has the right to file a claim.
The Cause of Your Loved One’s Death
To file a wrongful death claim, you may need to show that your loved one died as a direct result of someone else’s negligence on the road. For example, in an Atlanta accident with a driver traveling the wrong way down the interstate that ultimately killed the victim, the negligent driver clearly drove the wrong way down the road, causing the head-on collision that killed their loved one. Other examples of negligence may include:
- Drinking and driving
- Speeding
- Driving while distracted
- Aggressive driving
If your loved one died in a fatal Hampton car accident caused by their own reckless or dangerous behavior, your family may not be able to file a wrongful death claim. On the other hand, if another driver, or an outside party, committed the act of negligence that led to the accident and your loved one’s death, you may have the right to file a claim.
Your Relationship to the Deceased
The closest relative to the deceased will usually have the right to file a wrongful death claim after the loss of a loved one in a fatal car accident. Generally, that means:
- The victim’s spouse
- The victim’s children
- The victim’s parents
In some cases, another family member may be able to file a wrongful death claim, depending on the actual relationship with the deceased. Talking to a lawyer can help you determine whether you can file a wrongful death claim after a fatal car accident.
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Recovering Compensation After a Fatal Hampton Car Accident
While the compensation for a fatal car accident cannot bring back your loved one, it can offer your family vital financial assistance after the accident. Wrongful death claims after a car accident may depend on the insurance policy that covers the liable party. Your claim may include compensation for:
- Your loved one’s final medical expenses.
- Funeral and burial costs.
- Your loved one’s pain and suffering.
- The loss of your loved one’s income.
- The loss of services (childcare, home maintenance, elder care, etc) that your loved one performed for the family.
- Loss of consortium/loss of your loved one’s presence in your life.
A lawyer can help you break down the financial losses and challenges that may have come along with the loss of your loved one, providing you with a better look at the compensation you may deserve.
When do You Need a Fatal Hampton Car Accident Attorney?
If you lost a loved one in a fatal car accident in Hampton, you need a lawyer to look over your claim. You may find that the insurance company will try to get you to accept a low settlement offer for your loved one’s loss: one that does not adequately compensate your family for the expenses you may face, much less the loss of your loved one’s income, assistance, and presence.
A lawyer can help you learn more about your rights and guide you as you fight for the compensation you really deserve.
How Can a Fatal Car Accident Attorney in Hampton Help You?
Following the loss of a loved one in a fatal Hampton car accident, a lawyer can offer a number of benefits to your claim.
A Look at the Evidence
Sometimes, a car accident may have fairly straightforward evidence. Driver A was speeding, or looking down at a cell phone at an intersection, or tried to force their way into a lane of traffic that did not have adequate room for them, resulting in a fatal accident.
In other cases, however, you may discover that there is a larger story. You may discover that more than one driver contributed to the accident, or that outside factors, like an employer’s dangerous policies, contributed to your loved one’s fatal car accident.
A lawyer can help go over that vital evidence and put it together as part of a compelling claim that will clearly establish liability for the accident.
Evaluating Compensation
Many people have no idea how much compensation they should expect following the loss of a loved one in a Hampton car accident, and insurance companies may take advantage of that lack of knowledge. A wrongful death lawyer can help you look over your family’s financial losses related to your loved one’s death and give you a better idea of what to expect from your claim.
Effective Representation
Handling a wrongful death claim on your own can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you are already grieving the loss of a loved one. A Hampton fatal car accident lawyer can represent you, fight for you, and help you pursue the compensation your family deserves.
Contact a Hampton Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you lost a loved one in a fatal car accident, working with a Hampton fatal car accident lawyer can provide you with vital support. Contact John Foy & Associates today to learn more about your family’s right to compensation.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form