How Do You Prove Wrongful Death?
There is perhaps no greater tragedy than losing a loved one in a catastrophic event. If someone loses their life because of another person’s reckless or negligent behavior, surviving family members have the right to seek financial compensation for damages.
A wrongful death lawsuit can provide decedents compensation for financial and emotional losses caused by the unexpected loss of their loved one. Unfortunately, proving that a wrongful death occurred can be somewhat complex. It is important for surviving family members to work with a knowledgeable lawyer, such as those at Quick Law Group, PLLC in Bellevue, WA. Our attorneys can gather the evidence necessary to prove the essential aspects of a wrongful death case.
What Needs to Be Proven?
Proving a wrongful death case on behalf of our Bellevue clients goes beyond just demonstrating that a death occurred. It is even more complex than showing that the death was the result of another person’s recklessness or negligence. To prove a wrongful death case in court, several key factors must be conveyed:
- A person lost their life
- The death was caused by the defendant’s wrongful or negligent conduct
- At least one surviving decedent suffered losses as a result of the death
- Damages were suffered by the deceased’s estate
Evidence to Support a Wrongful Death Claim
To prove all the elements of a wrongful death case, our legal team relies on a variety of supporting evidence. Some aspects of a wrongful death case are easier to prove than others. A simple death certificate is enough to show that a person died. Damages of the estate and surviving loved ones also tend to be easy to prove. Medical bills, income statements, benefit statements, and other similar documents can demonstrate financial losses.
What is most difficult to prove in a wrongful death case is the cause of the death, or the defendant's reckless or negligent conduct. To show that a person’s wrongful actions resulted in a death, our legal team may rely on several different types of evidence, such as:
- Police reports
- Witness testimony
- Expert testimony
- Photographs or video footage showing the incident/accident or the scene of the accident
- Medical records
- Any other records that demonstrate wrongful behavior
When to File Suit
A lawsuit will not be the first thing on a person’s mind after losing a loved one. However, if a family suspects wrongful death, it is important that a wrongful death lawsuit is filed in a timely manner. First, the earlier that a lawsuit is filed, the easier it is for our Bellevue attorneys to gather evidence, while it is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Second, each state has their own statute of limitation laws that dictate the timeframe in which a wrongful death suit needs to be filed. In the state of Washington, the statute of limitations is three years from the date of the incident that caused the death.
Contact Quick Law Group, PLLC
If you have lost a loved one to wrongful death, the lawyers at Quick Law Group, PLLC can help you prove it. To discuss your case with our lawyers, send us a message at your earliest convenience, or call (425) 576-8150 to schedule a consultation.