When an accident occurs and is caused by negligence, the injured victim can typically file a lawsuit to obtain compensation from the careless person or entity responsible for causing injury. Unfortunately, in some tragic cases, the injuries from an accident are so serious that they result in death.

A negligent person cannot escape legal liability for what he has done by killing his victim. Instead, the family members of the deceased can file a wrongful death claim in order to obtain monetary compensation. While no amount of money can ever truly make up for the loss of a family member, wrongful death damages can at least help to ensure that the death doesn’t cause serious financial hardship and can ensure that the person who carelessly caused the death pays the consequences.

At the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman, our Massachusetts wrongful death attorneys understand the devastation that comes with the loss of a loved one and we know how important it is to protect a family’s financial future. We will put our legal knowledge, skills and dedication to work for you to provide you with compassionate representation and fierce advocacy for your rights.

Wrongful death claims can be brought by surviving family members in any situation where negligence or wrongdoing leads to a death. For example, wrongful death claims can occur:

After a fatal auto accident

When a defective product causes a death

After a deadly slip-and-fall

When a child drowns in the pool of a negligent homeowner

When a doctor or healthcare provider provides sub-par care

After a deadly construction accident

When a drug turns out to have unexpected side effects and causes death

In these and other situations, someone does something wrong- releases a defective product, behaves carelessly, fails to maintain a property- and harm occurs as a direct result. It is your burden as the plaintiff in a wrongful death claim to prove that the person you are seeking compensation from is the one who directly caused the death. A Boston wrongful death lawyer can help.

Wrongful death claims ensure that the surviving family members of a person who is killed are fairly and fully compensated. Wrongful death claims can be brought by certain close family members, such as spouses or the parents of a minor child who is killed. In each case, the family member has lost something. Sometimes, the loss is an economic loss, sometimes it is a non-economic loss and usually it is both. For example, a person who has lost a family member can make a claim for:

Lost future financial support. If a widow loses her husband, then she also loses the income he would have made and contributed to the family for the rest of his life. This lifetime of lost income should be covered in wrongful death damages.

Loss of companionship. When you lose a family member, you lose the happiness that relationship brought to your life. Although it is impossible to put a price on it, you should be compensated and wrongful death cases are partly about determining what you should be paid to help make up for your loss.

You may also obtain compensation for direct expenses such as funeral bills and medical costs incurred before the death. Finally, in some cases where the actions of the defendant were especially egregious, you may obtain punitive damages. These are damages intended to punish the defendant.

Because so much is lost in wrongful death cases, the damages are often very high. The appropriate amount of compensation is also very difficult to determine due to the complexities of estimating a lifetime of lost income and the financial value of lost companionship.

With so much at stake and so many legal complexities, it is very important to be represented by an experienced, competent and skilled wrongful death lawyer. Wrongful death cases must be handled carefully by an attorney with comprehensive knowledge of the complex egal matters. At the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Glassman, our Boston wrongful death attorneys have represented many clients after tragic deaths and we understand how to help you get the compensation you deserve.

To schedule your free consultation and learn more about how we can help you, get in touch with us today at (617) 367-2900 or contact us online.