San Jose Fatal Truck Accident Lawyers
Northern California Truck Accident Wrongful Death
When someone is killed due to the wrongful conduct, or gross negligence of a truck driver or trucking company, this is called a "wrongful death." If you have experienced the tragic loss of a loved one due to someone else's negligence, this will be a difficult time to be considering hiring a Northern California truck accident lawyer. And yet, mingled with their grief, our clients want to know why this tragedy happened and how it could have been prevented. The most important factor in answering these questions is immediately preserving valuable evidence after a fatal truck accident.
Trucking companies have their own investigators who are on the scene of an accident within minutes. Insurance companies are in the business of collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible in settlements. They will try to offer a grieving family as little as possible to settle the claim. When someone dies as a result of gross negligence, in incidents such as a truck accident, the law allows the next of kin to file a lawsuit to recover economic and non-economic damages. Even if your loved one is found to have been partially at fault in the accident, you may still be entitled to compensation.
The people who are considered next of kin are family members - spouse, domestic partner, children, parents, or siblings, in order of priority to a claim. In a Northern California truck accident wrongful death lawsuit, the family may recover damages for:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss on income from the decedent
- All medical expenses from the decedent
- Loss of medical benefits
- Loss of retirement benefits
- Loss of household and child rearing support
- Loss of emotional support
- Pain & Suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium (spouse)
- Loss of quality of life
The Northern California personal injury attorneys at Van Der Walde understand the grief and suffering that this type of tragedy causes to a family, but want to encourage you to act promptly if you believe that your loved one has died a wrongful death. There are time limits, called "statutes of limitations", which restrict how much time you have to file a wrongful death lawsuit in California. Some time limits are as short as six months after an accident.
Our compassionate San Jose truck accident wrongful death lawyers will guide you through every step of the legal process and deal with the insurance companies so that you can focus on putting your life back together. We aggressively fight for our clients' rights and win large settlements so that you will not have to be burdened with financial worries. Call Van Der Walde and Associates today at (877) 862-6288 for a free case evaluation today. We are here to help and we will explain your legal rights so that you can make an informed decision.
