How do you get your life back on track after a loved one’s sudden and fatal accident? How do you balance the need to grieve with your right to get justice for this startling loss? When in doubt, you can turn to a Jasper wrongful death lawyer for legal support.
Vaughan & Vaughan can pursue a wrongful death claim on your behalf while you grieve your sudden loss. Our involvement in your case can keep you on top of relevant filing deadlines and prevent bad actors from taking advantage of your distress. Our Jasper personal injury lawyers have been in the business of law for over 100 years. Let us go to bat for your family.
How Can You Prove Your Right to a Wrongful Death Case?
If you want to prove your right to a wrongful death case, you need to:
- Establish that someone else owed your loved one a duty of care at the time of their accident
- Establish that negligence contributed to the fatal nature of the accident
- Determine whether or not you have the right to pursue a claim in your loved one’s name
You can pull off the first two steps by bringing together enough evidence of fault to meet or exceed Indiana’s burden of proof. Our wrongful death lawyers in Jasper, IN, can work with experienced investigators to gather the hard data, reports, electronic data, and witness statements needed to make your case.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Indiana?
Only certain parties have the right to file personal injury claims in Indiana. You cannot file a claim unless you’re the deceased’s personal representative.
Most of the time, information about a person’s personal representative is found in their will. There is no formal process for establishing a personal representative.
However, there are instances wherein the deceased may not have had the time or wherewithal to establish a personal representative. If this is the case for your loved one, the state may have to assign a personal representative on the deceased’s behalf.
There is no fee
unless you win
When Should You File a Wrongful Death Claim?
You have a limited amount of time to act on behalf of your loved one. Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations allows families no more than two years to build a claim against another party. Your claim must reach a civil court by the second anniversary of your loved one’s death if you want your case to progress.
What Compensation Should You Ask for When Filing a Wrongful Death Claim?
It’s difficult to think about death in economic terms, but unfortunately, survivors have to. The death of a loved one can have a devastating impact on your income. Funeral expenses can also put your savings at risk.
Moving forward with a wrongful death claim allows you to include some of these expenses in your request for support. They may count as losses generated by a negligent party’s bad behavior. Some of the losses that most often appear in Indiana wrongful death claims include the following:
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of companionship
- Premortem medical care
- Hospice care and cost
- Lost wages
- Property damage and restorations
- Grief
- Pain and suffering
- Reduced quality of life
Our wrongful death lawyers in Jasper want you to walk away from a loved one’s case with all of the support you need to keep your family’s finances stable. Our team will always advocate for our clients’ right to maximize their wrongful death compensation.
How Can You Fight for Wrongful Death Damages?
Too many Hoosiers waive their right to secure wrongful death damages because they’re concerned about going to court. Fortunately, no one has to go through a trial to win wrongful death damages. Your attorney can negotiate for your right to support privately.
We can specifically arrange meetings between ourselves and a liable party in private offices or third-party locations. These meetings allow us to elaborate on the depth of your losses and request damages in your name.
Given the sensitive nature of most wrongful death cases, you’re not obligated to meet with a liable party face-to-face. We can mediate ongoing settlement conversations on your behalf. If negotiations break down, we have the experience to prepare you for a wrongful death trial.
When Should You Contact a Jasper Wrongful Death Lawyer?
As mentioned, you have no more than two years to build a case against a bad actor. If you want to stay ahead of that deadline, we encourage you to reach out to a Jasper, IN, wrongful death lawyer within a few weeks of a fatal accident.
However, our doors are always open. Even if you suspect your statute of limitations may have passed, you can still book a free case consultation with our staff. We can offer you legal advice that you can use to make decisions about how you and your family want to hold someone responsible for a loved one’s tragic passing.
It’s Time to Book Your Free Case Consultation
You have the right to hold back actors responsible for their negligence, especially when that negligence results in the death of a loved one. It’s time to take your loved one’s wrongful death case to civil court.
Contact Vaughan & Vaughan’s contingency-based wrongful death attorneys in Jasper, IN, to discuss the process and how it can help your family recover.
