Vancouver Wrongful Death Lawyers

When a loved one dies unexpectedly, the grief families experience is unimaginable. In some cases, the grief is even worse because families have reason to believe someone else is at fault for their loved one’s death. The Vancouver wrongful death lawyers at Rizk Law know what families go through after losing a loved one. Our compassionate attorneys want your family to be able to focus on dealing with your loss, not going through the complicated, contentious legal process. We can handle your wrongful death case on your behalf, including conducting the investigation, handling legal filings, and negotiating fair compensation. Your consultation with our trusted attorneys is 100 percent free and places no obligation on you to take legal action. If you want to file a wrongful death lawsuit, you will only owe us for representing if you receive fair compensation.

At Rizk Law, we are familiar with wrongful death laws in the state of Washington and how to apply those laws to your case. This is why it is essential to get the legal process started as soon as possible. Contacting our attorneys can be a first step in helping you do that.

Complete a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at 503.245.5677.

What is a Wrongful Death Accident?

Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 4.20.010, a wrongful death is any death that is due to neglect, a wrongful act or default of someone else. When this type of death occurs, the decedent’s personal representative can take legal action to recover damages.

This type of lawsuit is to benefit the following individuals in the deceased’s life:

If the deceased individual had no wife, husband, domestic partner or children, the lawsuit will be for the benefit of the individual’s parents, sisters or brothers who might be dependent on this person for support and were residents of the U.S. at the time the death occurred.

There may be cases where the at-fault party died at the same time as your loved one. When this happens, you still have a right to file a lawsuit. You will simply be filing it against the personal representative of the person who died.

The personal representative is named in the deceased person’s will. In these types of cases, the personal representative is only entitled to recover the following forms of compensation on behalf of the beneficiaries listed above:

These forms of compensation are for damages suffered by the deceased prior to his or her death.

There are sometimes situations where the individual who is at fault for your loved one’s death is also involved in a criminal proceeding over your loved one’s death. This does not affect your right to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Determining who has the right to file a lawsuit can be very complicated and may require help from a qualified attorney. The Vancouver wrongful death lawyers at our firm understand these laws and can help you navigate every step of the legal process to obtain the fair compensation you deserve.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at 503.245.5677.

Compensation for a Wrongful Death Accident

There are various forms of compensation you may be able to recover in a wrongful death lawsuit, including:

• Medical care – The medical care your loved one received before his or her death is compensable in a wrongful death lawsuit. For example, maybe your loved one was critically injured and was taken to the hospital where treatment was received but it was not successful in saving his or her life. The medical procedures, tests and other services the decedent received would be covered in a wrongful death claim.
• Funeral expenses – You may be entitled to compensation for reasonable costs of your loved one’s funeral. This compensation can be invaluable because the cost of a funeral is often much more expensive than people might think. You can also receive compensation for the cost of cremation.
• Pain and suffering – The pain and suffering your loved one experienced just before his or her death may be compensable in a wrongful death lawsuit. However, we must be able to show that your loved one had a realization about his or her impending death. Otherwise, you may not be able to obtain compensation for the decedent’s pain and suffering.
• Lost income – When a person dies, his or her loved ones may be placed in financial trouble if they were greatly dependent on the decedent’s income. You may be entitled to compensation for the income the decedent would have been earned if he or she had not died. Our wrongful death lawyers in Vancouver, WA can carefully review your loved one’s employment history and earnings to try to determine a fair amount of compensation.
• Lost companionship and guidance – The decedent’s dependents may pursue compensation for the lost companionship and guidance he or she provided in their lives. For example, the deceased’s spouse and children relied on this person for guidance in their lives and to be a parent and spouse. The decedent’s spouse may be entitled to compensation for the loss of a romantic relationship now that his or her spouse has died.

Determining the full value of the damages you suffered is complicated and takes time. This is why it may benefit you to contact our wrongful death lawyers in Vancouver as soon as possible. This will give us the time we need to evaluate your case and get it filed before time runs out.

Contact a Vancouver wrongful death lawyer right now by calling 503.245.5677.

Deadline for Wrongful Death Cases in Vancouver, WA

Like other personal injury cases, the statute of limitations for wrongful death is three years from the date of death. If those three years pass without you filing a lawsuit, you lose the right to do so. This means you will be unable to obtain compensation from a wrongful death lawsuit.

Not only will you be unable to recover compensation, the at-fault party may not be held liable for your loved one’s death. There is a chance this person could be criminally charged and then he or she might go to jail. However, this will not provide any compensation for the effects of the loss of your loved one.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form today or call us at 503.245.5677.

Causes of Wrongful Death

Many different accidents and situations can cause a wrongful death, for which you may be owed compensation. This could include:

No matter the situation, if you think negligence was involved in your loved one’s death, you should consider talking to an attorney about it. The Vancouver wrongful death attorneys at Rizk Law know how to determine if negligence was involved in causing the decedent’s death and if you may have grounds for pursuing a lawsuit.

Call our attorneys today at 503.245.5677.

Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney in Vancouver, Washington for a Free Consultation

If someone else’s carelessness led to your loved one’s death, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages caused by this unexpected loss. Our Vancouver wrongful death lawyers know how to calculate the full value of your damages, so we can pursue all that you are owed.

Our compassionate Vancouver personal injury attorneys are focused on doing what we can to help you and your family during this difficult time. The law may allow us to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover compensation and we are committed to fighting for everything you are owed.

We know compensation cannot change what happened, but it is the law’s way of helping to put you and your family back into the position you were in before your loved one’s death.

Your consultation is entirely free and you will not owe us for representing your claim unless it results in you receiving compensation.

Fill out a Free Case Evaluation form or call us at 503.245.5677.