What can you do to get your life back on track when someone you love dies? How, in particular, can you overcome someone’s unexpected and untimely passing? The state of Indiana may afford you the right to pursue a wrongful death claim against the party liable for your loved one’s death.
While money won’t bring your loved one back, compensation can help you overcome the financial challenges associated with your loved one’s death.
You don’t have to go after financial compensation alone. You can work with a Westfield, IN, wrongful death lawyer to hold a negligent party accountable for their misconduct. Vaughan & Vaughan has personal injury lawyers in Westfield who are prepared to go to court on your behalf. You can learn more about our post-life legal services today.
How to Overcome a Loved One’s Wrongful Death
Be patient with yourself in the wake of a loved one’s death. There are steps you can take to recover, but those steps are easier to take when you have someone on your side. You deserve space and time to contend with your grief. If you can delegate your responsibilities to knowledgeable parties, you can get your life back on track all the faster.
Some of the best ways to both delegate responsibilities and address the complexities of a loved one’s passing include the following:
Connect With Your Community
Despite what you might feel, you’re not alone after a loved one’s death. You have friends, family, loved ones, and professional connections who can help you live with your grief. This process can be uncomfortable, particularly if you’re not used to asking for help. That said, if you can ask for help, you can more effectively use your time and manage your feelings.
For example, consider asking a loved one to help you clean out the deceased’s home. Work with your family to write an obituary or schedule a wake. Ask friends who’ve dealt with loved ones’ deaths what professional resources they used to address their losses.
All of these steps can make it easier for you to learn how to live alongside your grief in the long run. Moreover, friends can connect you with legal, psychological, and other professionals who can help you organize your life in the wake of a loved one’s death.
Meet With Insurance Providers
There’s a good chance that the party liable for your loved one’s death had some kind of accident-related insurance. If you’re contending with substantial financial strain in the face of a loved one’s death, you can work with that insurance provider to get the post-accident support you need.
That said, be wary of overenthusiastic or crafty insurance providers. Some providers want to prioritize their finances over your long-term recovery. You may subsequently find yourself working with an insurance claims adjuster who undervalues the economic value of your losses. A bad-faith insurance company may deny your accident claim outright.
What can you do when faced with this misconduct? Turn to your community. We recommend working with a Westfield wrongful death lawyer to address an insurance provider’s bad-faith behavior. When in doubt, Vaughan & Vaughan can appeal a denied claim. We can even take an insurance provider to court for refusing to recognize the validity of your losses.
Consider Legal Action
There will also be legalities to contend with in the wake of a loved one’s passing. You need to work with experienced attorneys to discuss the division of property and the appropriate exercising of the deceased’s will.
That said, you may also have the right to civil action. If you don’t receive enough financial support from an insurance provider or don’t have the right to pursue said support, you can request that a personal injury lawyer step in. Our team can investigate your right to bring your loved one’s losses to a judge’s attention.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim
If you have the right to civil action, our team can compose a complaint detailing the nature of your case. We can then submit that complaint to a judge and demand accident compensation on your behalf.
You do not have to commit to civil action after a loved one’s death. That said, discussing what in and out-of-court roads you have toward accident compensation is worthwhile. You can meet with Vaughan & Vaughan’s experienced team for free to learn more about the legal process.
We do not pressure you into legal action during these consultations but rather help you explore your various roads to recovery.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Criminal Versus Civil Action After a Wrongful Death
You may find yourself asking, “Why can’t I take criminal action against a liable party after my loved one’s death?” The answer lies with the state. Only the state of Indiana can initiate criminal action against a negligent party. The state may, however, call you to testify in a criminal case brought against an offending party.
There is no fee
unless you win
When to File a Wrongful Death Claim
If you want to take up a wrongful death claim against the party responsible for your loved one’s death, you need to do so within Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations. Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4 outlines this statute and notes that you have no more than two years to initiate an investigation into your losses.
You cannot file a personal injury claim after your statute of limitations expires except under unique circumstances. If you think your statute of limitations may have already expired, you can meet with a Westfield wrongful death attorney to determine your best path forward. Our team can make every effort to help you explore all of your possible roads to recovery.
Vaughan & Vaughan Wants to Help You Recover
You may not have the right to pursue criminal action against the party responsible for your loved one’s death. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get justice, though. You can work with Westfield wrongful death attorneys to demand compensation from a liable party. You can then use that compensation to address the losses you’ve endured since a loved one’s death.
Vaughan & Vaughan knows how to address your wrongful death case with all of the grace it deserves. You can count on us to respect your grief while exercising your right to civil action to the fullest. Want to learn more? Contact us by phone or online today to schedule your free case evaluation.
