bellingham wrongful death lawyer Tag

How Are Wrongful Death Settlements Paid Out?

Losing a loved one is always hard, but grief can be compounded when the death is unexpected and because of the negligent or intentional actions of another. In addition to the emotional toll, the death of a family member can lead to financial hardship due to lost wages, loss of services, funeral expenses, and medical bills from before they passed. If you have received a wrongful death settlement or are in the process of pursuing one to cover your losses, you may be wondering: what is the average wrongful death settlement, how are wrongful death settlements paid out, and are wrongful death settlements taxable? These are important questions, because injury settlements are supposed to provide financial relief during an already difficult time. We will answer these important questions in this article.

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How Families Can Benefit from Filing a Wrongful Death Claim

Wrongful Death Settlements: Questions Answered

In the grieving process for a loved ones lost to wrongful death settlements, comes the reality that the family may face financial hardship without a fair wrongful death settlement. Wrongful death lawyers help grieving family members – through a representative of the decedent’s estate – file wrongful death claims to compensate family members or the estate for the wrongful death of their family member.

Since most of us are not wrongful death attorneys, it is understandable that families feel overwhelmed about wrongful death claims and wrongful death settlements. With over 40 years’ experience helping families recover damages for the loss of their loved ones, we are happy to answer questions that help provide peace of mind to our grieving clients.

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Wrongful Death Lawsuit Brought by Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Who Lost Husband to COVID-19

As reported by thehill.com, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her employer after she attended a training session that she says exposed her – and indirectly her husband – to Covid-19. The suit alleges that the company’s lax Covid-19 protocols and contact tracing efforts eventually led to the death of her husband. Covid pneumonia was listed as the primary cause of death. Sixty-nine-year-old Carol Madden, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court in Maryland; she is seeking more than $3 million in damages for the wrongful death of her then 73-year-old husband.

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Top 4 Myths about Wrongful Death Claims

While no amount of money can replace your lost family member, there are practical reasons for pursuing a wrongful death settlement. Financial stresses often become very real after the loss of a family member, especially if they were the primary bread winner. Unexpected expenses such as the cost of the funeral and medical bills can also add up quickly. If you lost a loved one because of the negligent or intentional behavior of another, a wrongful death claim may the best (and only) way to recover financial compensation. There are many myths about wrongful death claims that may prevent people from filing a claim that they are entitled to. We will take a look at some of the main ones in this article.

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When Is It Considered a Wrongful Death Car Accident?

What Damages Can Be Recovered in a Wrongful Death Case?

When a loved one dies due to someone else’s negligence, the family often experiences profound grief. As the shock fades, families may worry about affording medical expenses or covering bills if the victim was a provider or caregiver. Wrongful death claims seek compensation for current and future family losses. Another way of saying compensation is “recovering damages.”

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Are Wrongful Death Lawsuits Increasing Because of COVID-19?

Wrongful death lawsuits are filed to hold a negligent party accountable and to recover damages for the wrongful death of a loved one. With more than 100,000 Americans now dead after contracting Coronavirus, some may be wondering if wrongful death lawsuits are increasing because of COVID-19?

Thousands of low-paid essential workers are being exposed to the virus every day and that means employers are vulnerable to lawsuits for failing to protect their workers. We already shared a post about the estate of a Walmart worker suing for wrongful death after he died of Coronavirus complications. For low-paid workers with meager health insurance coverage, a wrongful death lawsuit may be the only hope for the family to pay for the medical expenses incurred by their loved one for treating Coronavirus. The question is how many will bring lawsuits and will they be successful?

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2019 Changes to WA State Wrongful Death Laws

Effective, July 28, 2019, Washington State’s wrongful death laws were expanded with the amendment of four statutes in SSB 5163. In short, the Substitute Senate Bill allows a broader category of people to be able to sue for wrongful death (RCW 4.20.020) and expands the types of damages they may recover (RCW 4.20.046). Note that the law was remedial and retroactive and applied to all claims that were not time barred, as well as any claims that were pending in any court on July 28, 2019.

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What’s the Difference Between Wrongful Death and Medical Malpractice?

When a person is injured or dies as a result of the negligence of another, they may be able to file a personal injury claim to recover damages. While both wrongful death and medical malpractice fall under tort law, the appropriate type of claim depends on the circumstances and type of injury. Medical malpractice is a specific subset of tort law that aims to hold professional negligence accountable while wrongful death law is applied in tort cases where the defendant’s behavior resulted in the death of the victim.

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