Wrongful Death
Losing the life of a family member is devastating under any circumstances, but when your loved one is killed as a result of someone else’s negligence or other preventable cause, the loss is even more heart-wrenching. It is at this difficult time that you need a zealous experienced compassionate law firm to guide you through the legalities of obtaining justice and fair compensation.
While no amount of compensation can make up for your loved one’s death, the last thing you should be concerned about during such a difficult time is how to cope with the financial hardship caused by the accident or the legalities of obtaining justice. Please allow the Law Offices of Williams & Scheetz to help you and your family obtain justice and the compensation appropriate for you to move forward with your life.
Williams & Scheetz is a Bucks County, Pennsylvania based personal injury law firm with attorneys experienced in handling wrongful death cases. Williams & Scheetz represents and fights for accident victims, their families, and other loved ones who were left behind. If your loved one was killed by the negligence of a person, company or other entity, Williams & Scheetz is here to fight for you and your family.
What Is a Wrongful Death Action in Pennsylvania?
Wrongful death is the term used when someone, by action or by failure to act, causes the death of another person. Wrongful death is a civil action as opposed to a criminal action. Since victims of a wrongful death accident cannot pursue compensation for themselves, the law permits the victim’s family or estate to bring a wrongful death action to collect damages on their behalf. The intent is to provide fair compensation to family members who have suffered financially and/or emotionally from the wrongful death. Damages can be assessed by loss of wages and benefits, loss of companionship, emotional pain and suffering, and punitive damages
Wrongful Death in Conjunction with Survival Claims
In addition to a wrongful death claim, a survival action claim may also be available to the loved ones of a decedent. While a wrongful death and a survival action claim often stem from the same set of events, a survival action is a separate legal action. Rather than focusing on the losses of the close family members, a survival action focuses on the pain and suffering of the person who was killed. As such, survival damages can include the financial award the individual could have sought if not for his or her death. Under most circumstances, the most significant portion of the survival action damages stems from the pain and suffering experienced by the individual who was killed.
Wrongful Death Claims Arise From Many Personal Injury Accidents
A wrongful death claim may be brought when a loved one suffers a fatal injury caused by the intentional, reckless, negligent, or careless actions of another person, company or entity. Some potential scenarios that can give rise to a wrongful death claim in Pennsylvania and New Jersey include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Slips and Falls
- Defective Products
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Bus and Train Accidents
- Assault/Murder
These types of accidents are only the more common scenarios where fatal injuries may be inflicted and a wrongful death claim may be available. If a loved one was killed due to the negligence, carelessness or recklessness of another person, company or entity, the wrongful death lawyers at Williams & Scheetz can help you determine if you can bring a wrongful death action.
Williams & Scheetz handles wrongful death cases for families who have lost loved ones in tragic accidents in Bucks County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County and throughout the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We handle all of our wrongful death cases with empathy, diligence and compassion. We welcome the opportunity to assist you and your family to obtain justice and the compensation deserved at this very difficult time. Please call us at 215-322-7340 to schedule a free consultation.
