With most personal injury cases, the results are not as tragic as a wrongful death. Most car accidents happen at low speeds and result in soft tissue injuries. Unfortunately, there are some cases that ultimately end in death for the accident victim. These wrongful death cases are significantly more complicated then a typical car accident case. Therefore it is imperative you speak to a Maryland lawyer that has experience with handling wrongful death cases. Robinson & Associates, personal injury lawyers has offices in Maryland and Washington D.C.

A wrongful death case is typically brought by the surviving family members of the accident victim on behalf of the family members and the estate of the deceased. If financial compensation is awarded by a judge or jury some of the money will be distributed as per the victim’s will and some will go directly to the surviving family members. Wrongful death cases happen when a person knowingly or unknowingly performs a negligent act and as a direct result of that act kills another person. Damages may include pain & suffering for both the victim and the surviving family members, loss of consortium and lost wages if the deceased had dependents. Pecuniary injuries include most types of financial expenses, such as funeral costs and medical expenses. If the head of house hold is killed the surviving family may not have a means to support themselves financially. When calculating financial damages many different factors are used such as the victim’s age, earning capacity for their projected working life span and overall health prior to the accident. Was the victim making $100,000 and 32 years old? Or were they 63 years old and retired? These factors will, while cold and removed, influence the final value of the case. The emotional pain and suffering damages cover the family’s devastating loss of not having their loved one with them. This can be difficult to determine a monetary value and requires an experienced wrongful death lawyer to help. Ultimately, the final value may come down to a judge and jury, if your case goes all they way to court.

Wrongful death cases are not just the result of car accident cases. They can also include medical malpractice, surgical mistakes, failure to diagnose cancer, motorcycle accidents, train accidents or death on the job site. No matter the cause of death, if the victim was wrongfully killed as a result of someone else’s negligence it is wrongful death. Wrongful death is a generic term used to describe many types of possible cases.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are a type of damages that are meant to punish the negligent party. For example if the person died as a result of a major tire manufacturer’s defective tires, and it was shown the tire company knew of these defects – the courts could decide to punish the manufacturer. However punitive damages may not be awarded to the victim’s family – laws are different from state to state. In Maryland, punitive damages actually require more then just gross or intentional negligence, punitive damages requires an outright desire or intention to hurt the victim.

If you have a loved one that has been wrongfully injured or killed by the negligence of another – please contact Robinson & Associates for an immediate and free obligation. Our personal injury lawyers have the experience and knowledge to fight for and enforce your legal rights. Our team offers free case evaluations and we do not charge any fees until we win for you. Click here to contact Robinson & associates today.