Losing your loved one unleashes a torrent of emotions, ranging from sadness to anger, especially when someone negligently caused their death. If your loved one could have prevailed in a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party, the family will likely prevail in a wrongful death lawsuit. Our compassionate wrongful death attorneys could investigate the case and let your family know their available legal options.
Your family could be entitled to receive compensation for financial expenses, including related medical care. When the decedent is a spouse and parent earning a living for the family, lost present and future wages are often compensable. At Tomeny | Best, we understand the emotional trauma and gut-wrenching grief you are experiencing, and we will fight to get you a monetary award to help secure your family’s financial future in an Iberville Parish wrongful death settlement.
Initiating a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
As of July 1, 2024, a person who has been severely injured in an accident has two years to bring a claim for the injuries they sustained. If an injury happened before this time, they only have one year. Therefore, it is crucial to seek help from a legal professional as soon as possible to begin the process.
The parties permitted to file wrongful death suits in Iberville Parish and Plaquemine settlement talks include the decedent’s spouse and/or children. If there is no spouse or child, the decedent’s parents, then siblings, then grandparents can bring a claim.
Understanding Insurance Settlements
Wrongful death lawsuits are based on negligence and are most often brought against motorists who cause a fatal crash. Louisiana’s at-fault auto insurance system requires motorists to carry minimum liability coverage to reimburse drivers hurt in an accident they caused. The amounts are $15,000 per person for bodily injury or death, $30,000 for total bodily injury or death per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident caused by the driver of the insured vehicle. The motorist who caused a loved one’s death is responsible for compensating the family if the damages are above the amount of insurance the at-fault driver carries.
Our Iberville Parish attorneys do not accept settlement offers that fail to cover a family’s losses for a wrongful death claim. If insurance settlement talks break down, we move into litigation mode and shape a client’s case to elicit the most compensation possible.
Settlement Talks
Often, when a defendant’s attorney understands that their client’s case is not going well, they will propose settlement talks. The judge cannot force a person bringing a claim to accept, but settlements are an avenue to resolving the compensation issue quickly if the offer is fair. We will assess a family’s needs after a wrongful death case and advise them whether to accept the offered amount or head to court.
Call an Iberville Parish Attorney To Discuss Your Wrongful Death Settlement Claim Today
When you have lost a loved one to someone else’s fault, we understand your grief feels endless. However, now is the time for our compassionate attorneys at Tomeny | Best to sprint into action and map your legal course for an Iberville Parish wrongful death settlement.
We negotiate robust settlements, but filing a wrongful death lawsuit is also to your family’s advantage to use as leverage with insurance companies. Call our firm today to schedule a free consultation.
