how to talk to lawyer handling wrongful death

by Jessica Hartmann 3 min read

Full Answer

What is Your Experience Handling Wrongful Death Claims?

The first question that you want to ask a wrongful death attorney is what their experience is with handling wrongful death claims.

Do I Have a Wrongful Death Claim?

Another important question to ask the a wrongful death attorney during an initial consultation is whether they feel that you have a wrongful death claim. Not everyone is eligible to file a wrongful death claim. As such, you may not be a party eligible to file.

What Damages Can I Recover in This Wrongful Death Claim?

When it comes to wrongful death claims, the circumstances surrounding your case may vary from the circumstances surrounding someone else’s case. As such, you always want to ask a lawyer what damages they feel you may be entitled to based on the circumstances for your case.

What Challenges or Outcome Do You Think We Will Encounter With This Case?

A wrongful death attorney cannot successfully predict the outcome of every case they take on. However, an experience lawyer should be able to tell you what challenges they anticipate happening with your particular case and what they expect the outcome to be.

What is the Statute of Limitations For Filing a Wrongful Death Claim?

Every state has a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is essentially the deadline you have for filing a case against the party you feel is responsible for your loved one’s death. If your case is not filed before this deadline, you will be unable to ever bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party.

Why Are You the Best Attorney For This Wrongful Death Claim?

The final question you should ask a wrongful death attorney during an initial consultation is why they feel they are the best attorney for your case. Some attorneys may have a personal connection to wrongful death cases. They may feel passionate about them due to a loss they suffered at some point in their life.

What is an initial investigation?

Initial investigation into evidence and witness is an integral part of such cases. It will uncover elements that may decide the outcome of the case. You will want to make sure that the attorney is an expert in the steps, procedures, and components involved with the initial investigation.

What is contingency basis in wrongful death?

A case you approach on a contingency basis ensures that neither plaintiff nor defendant has to pay before settling or winning the case.

What happens if you die from someone else's negligence?

Accidental deaths are devastating, both emotionally and financially, for the entire family. If you have lost a loved one because of someone else’s negligence, filing a wrongful death lawsuit will provide restitution and financial support for surviving family members. But first, hire a qualified “wrongful death attorney” who can represent ...

Do law firms have paralegals?

Large law firms have paralegals, attorneys, and support staff working for them. An attorney involved during initial consultation might not be the one assigned to your case. So before finalizing a law firm, find out who will be your case’s lead attorney vis-à-vis the initial investigator.

What Classifies as Wrongful Death?

Wrongful death is not a criminal proceeding. Therefore, a death caused by murder cannot be tried in a civil court. Often, wrongful death is caused by a road collision or other unintended accidents.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

In most states, being the next of kin grants you the right to file a wrongful death claim. Often, the spouse files. However, if the spouse is unable to file a claim, the children also have the right.

Questions to Ask a Wrongful Death Lawyer

Before hiring an attorney, you should have some questions lined up beforehand. This way, you know what services you’re getting and how exactly they can help.

The Best Wrongful Death Lawyers

If you’re planning to meet with an attorney, please don’t forget to ask these five questions. If you have any more questions about a wrongful death lawyer, contact us today for a free consultation.

Consider your case

Incidents that fall under wrongful deaths can either be intentional or unintentional, leading to an individual’s death. It can be caused by negligence or misconduct. In this case, surviving family members or assigned beneficiaries need to pursue legal actions in order to compensate for the economic loss resulting from the death.

Skim Through Client Reviews

Once you have found a credible attorney with a satisfactory profile, it is important to go through client reviews. You have the right to know how he or she handled clients and other cases in the past. Identifying whether they are dedicated to helping you win or are simply in for the money makes a huge difference.

Scheduled Consultations

Booking a consultation with wrongful death attorneys can be incredibly helpful. You will be able to directly communicate with the person who can potentially handle your case. Most law firms offer free consultations, but it mostly depends on the issue. Try to scour the web for nearby law offices with specialized lawyers.

Ask Questions

If it is your first time dealing with serious legal matters, you may shy away from questions. However, when it comes to finding the right attorney for the job, you need to be aware of the legal procedures.

Consider Your Options

If you spend enough time on the internet, you will see that many competent law offices are more than willing to extend a helping hand. Consider your options wisely, and make sure that you look into the required documents to prove that your lawyer is more than capable of handling the case.

Importance Of An Attorney

While we understand that stressing over legal matters while dealing with a personal loss can be taxing, you will find that it is the best course of action to take. While hiring a wrongful death attorney won’t always feel like an important matter during a devastating event, it can be more beneficial than you think.

image