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Riverside Wrongful Death Lawyer

Riverside Wrongful Death Attorneys

A wrongful death is any death caused by the negligent, reckless or intentional acts of another person or entity. A wrongful death may happen because of a car accident, a bar fight, food poisoning or any other number of accidental or intentional injuries.

No matter what the cause of your loved one's wrongful death, one thing is certain: If you want to seek damages from the wrongdoer, the sooner you locate and hire a Riverside wrongful death lawyer, the better your chances for recovery will be. If you delay, investigation of your claim will also be delayed, court filing deadlines could be missed and key evidence might be lost.

California Wrongful Death Claimants

According to California's wrongful death laws, certain close family members and others related to the deceased are entitled to seek damages. These potential claimants are prioritized, so that only those closest to the decedent may recover. Your Riverside wrongful death attorney can tell you if you or a loved one are entitled to seek recovery for a family member's wrongful death.

The hierarchy for claimant eligibility under California's wrongful death laws begins with the victim's surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, dependent stepchildren, dependent minors living in the victim's household for at least six months, and dependent parents. All of these claimants can share in the proceeds of the wrongful death award, if one is obtained. Other relatives may also be eligible to recover in a wrongful death action if these previously-listed relatives do not exist or do not bring a wrongful death suit.

In addition to these, the victim's personal representative - someone appointed by the probate court to handle the wrongful death victim's estate - may bring a wrongful death action, but any proceeds of that claim must be distributed in accordance with the wrongful death statute.

California Wrongful Death Damages

When a Riverside-area resident initiates a wrongful death action after a loved one's accident, he or she is entitled to seek compensation for personal losses only, not those of the deceased. Such personal losses might include:

• Support the deceased would have provided to the claimant;

• Gifts the deceased might have given the claimant;

• The costs associated with the deceased's funeral;

• The value of the work the deceased would have performed in the home; and

• The love, guidance and companionship of the deceased.

In addition, if the wrongful death claimant is a spouse or sibling of the deceased and he or she witnessed the wrongful death victim's injury or death, then damages for infliction of emotional distress may be awarded.

A Survivor's Action

Another type of claim that may be brought following a wrongful death is a survivor action. The decedent's estate's personal representative (someone appointed by the probate court to deal with the decedent's estate) may bring a survivor action, defined as a cause of action that survives the death of the person entitled to commence an action. In other words, it is an action that the wrongful death victim could have brought, had he or she survived. What types of damages can be claimed in a survivor action? Basically, the answer is those damages that any person can seek from a wrongdoer when they are injured through that other's fault, including:

• Pain and suffering;

• Medical expenses; and

• Lost earnings.

These types of damages are generally unavailable to wrongful death claimants.

Finding the Best Riverside Wrongful Death Lawyer

If your family member has died because of another's fault, you may have a valid claim for his or her wrongful death. Finding the right Riverside wrongful death attorney is crucial to your case because wrongful death claims are complicated and often difficult to prove, beginning with establishing that the defendant indeed caused the wrongful death. Next, your Riverside wrongful death lawyer will need the skills and experience to properly analyze your case and determine:

• If it is more advantageous to bring a wrongful death claim or to have a personal representative appointed to bring suit on behalf of the estate;

• What the deceased's life expectancy would have been;

• How much financial support the claimant could have expected had the deceased not suffered the wrongful death; and

• The monetary value of the deceased's love, companionship and guidance to the claimant.

The Reeves Law Group has helped thousands of personal injury claimants get the compensation they deserve, and they can help you too. The Reeves Law Group's Riverside offices have the backing of the firm's ample financial resources and support services, which will allow your attorney to see your case through to the best conclusion possible. For a free consultation concerning your wrongful death claim, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or e-mail us.