It’s difficult to think about your right to legal action after an unexpected tragedy. If you’re reeling from a loved one’s sudden passing, you may not have the emotional bandwidth to think about how you might hold someone else financially accountable for your stress. Fortunately, our wrongful death attorneys in Niagara Falls can take on that burden for you.
Richmond Vona can connect you with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in Niagara Falls who can investigate your loved one’s passing without compounding your grief. Our efforts can win you the compensation you need to protect your finances as you pay your loved one’s remaining bills and funeral fees.
If you’re ready to learn more about your right to wrongful death compensation, reach out and connect with our team today.
Who Can File Wrongful Death Claims in New York?
Before you determine how you want to take legal action after a loved one’s death, you need to understand what rights you have under New York law. Only certain parties can file a personal injury claim on behalf of a deceased individual. If you’re not one of these parties, you may have to explore other means of securing accident compensation.
Our Niagara Falls wrongful death attorneys refer to New York Consolidated Law §4-1.1 when determining whether or not you can take legal action against another party. This statute states that only the deceased’s parents, spouse, or children may act on their behalf. If these parties aren’t available, the deceased’s personal executor may take action in their stead.
For a free legal consultation with a wrongful death lawyer serving Niagara Falls, call (716) 300-5885
How to Hold Someone Accountable for a Loved One’s Wrongful Death?
If you have the right to hold someone financially accountable for your loved one’s passing, Richmond Vona, LLC recommends that you:
Call an Attorney as Soon as Possible
It seems obvious to say that a loved one’s wrongful death can leave you emotionally wrongfooted, but it’s more true than most people think. It’s incredibly difficult to balance the nuance of a wrongful death claim while dealing with fresh grief. That’s why Richmond Vona, LLC, recommends that you connect with a personal injury lawyer ASAP.
Working with a lawyer allows you to delegate the responsibility of an investigation to experienced professionals. We can identify the party liable for your losses well before your three-year statute of limitations expires without rushing your grieving process. We can also help maximize the compensation you receive from a liable party.
Outline Your Right to an Insurance Claim
The party responsible for your loved one’s passing might have insurance coverage that protects them from some of the financial backlash of someone’s unexpected death. You can ask a Niagara Falls wrongful death attorney to determine what kind of financial support the offending party has before filing an insurance claim with a relevant provider.
A personal injury lawyer’s oversight can prevent insurance claims adjusters from minimizing your loved one’s wrongful death losses or denying your claim. If a provider tries to deny you your right to accident support, we can file an appeal. Richmond Vona, LLC, can even sue bad faith insurance providers if the company continues to treat you poorly.
Weigh the Pros and Cons of Going to Court
Filing a wrongful death claim against a liable party doesn’t lock you into civil trial proceedings. You can come to a settlement agreement with a liable party privately. However, you may not want to meet with a liable party, particularly if the shock of your loved one’s passing is still fresh.
Our team understands how traumatic it can be to see the person who caused your loved one’s passing in the flesh. We can mediate these meetings or manage them ourselves so long as the court doesn’t require you to be present. However, we can also opt out of private negotiations and go to a bench or jury trial instead.
You can count on our team to outline the pros and cons of different approaches to your fight for wrongful death compensation before we file your personal injury claim. We want to prioritize your comfort alongside your right to financial support. With that in mind, don’t hesitate to bring any questions you may have about your rights to a free consultation with our team.
Niagara Falls Wrongful Death Lawyer Near Me (716) 300-5885
Your Case and Criminal Proceedings
You cannot open a criminal case against another person in Niagara Falls, even if that person unlawfully harms someone you love. The police may choose to open a criminal case against that party on the state’s behalf, thereby allowing the state to charge the offending party with misdemeanors or felonies based on their behavior.
It’s in your best interest to stay on top of new developments in the state’s effort to hold someone criminally accountable for your loved one’s death. If New York’s criminal courts convict someone else of murder or manslaughter, you can submit that conviction to a civil judge as proof of your offending party’s negligence.
Proof of negligence delivered by another judge can help outline your right to loss-based compensation. You may have an easier time demanding the compensation you need to pay your bills if the offending party has a criminal conviction working against them.
Click to contact our Niagara Falls Personal Injury Lawyers today
Connect With Niagara Falls Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
The wrongful death lawyers in Niagara Falls understand that the grief stemming from a loved one’s passing can seem all-consuming. We want you to have the space you need to reconnect with your family and mourn your loved one’s death. We also want you to explore the legal options that may help you get justice for this sudden tragedy.
Richmond Vona, LLC, can connect you with a representative who can prioritize your best interests as you grieve. We bring decades of legal experience to the pursuit of the damages you need to protect your financial health. You can contact us today to book a free case evaluation with our team.
Call or text (716) 300-5885 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form