When you have lost a loved one in tragic circumstances, you and your family are left to rebuild your lives and make sense of what happened. You face mounting expenses for medical bills and funeral plans, which, under your state's laws, you may not be obligated to pay. Instead, the party who caused the incident that cause your loved one to die is legally obligated to compensate you and your family. You can hold this party responsible by hiring a wrongful death attorney to represent you.
Pursuing Financial Compensation
If you have lost a loved one in a hit-and-run or drunk-driving accident, you have the right to pursue financial compensation from the responsible driver. Your lawyer can immediately file a claim against the other driver's insurance policy. That insurer is legally obligated to cover your lost loved one's medical bills.
Likewise, the insurer is also responsible for paying for some or all of your relative's funeral expenses. You and your family do not have to cover that expense on your own.
However, getting an insurer to pay these costs can be challenging. It may deny any culpability and instead try to shift the blame for the wreck onto your lost relative. Your wrongful death attorney can obtain proof to show that the policy holder was in fact responsible and that he or she owes your family compensation. Your attorney can put pressure on the other driver's insurer until the insurance company agrees to pay all of your family's accident-related expenses in full.
Pursuing a Settlement
Your lawyer can also pursue a settlement if your family or the insurer wants to stay out of court. You might want a fast resolution to the case and do not want to go through a lengthy trial while you are grieving your lost loved one. The wrongful death attorney representing your family can push for a settlement with the responsible party and his or her insurer and work out a settlement offer that compensates you and your family sufficiently for your financial and punitive damages.
These reasons explain why it makes sense to hire a wrongful death attorney after you have lost a loved one in a hit-and-run or drunk-driving accident. Your wrongful death lawyer can make sure that all of your family's expenses are paid by the other driver's insurance company. You can also receive the compensation you deserve for your punitive pain and suffering.
Someone else does something silly. You get hurt and incur thousands of dollars' worth of medical bills, and you're also forced to take a month off from work. It doesn't really sound fair, does it? It's not. But luckily, there is a way you can ensure the responsible party ends up paying for your expenses, and that's by hiring a personal injury attorney. Your attorney can file a civil suit against the person who caused your injuries, so you can get paid what you deserve.
Learn more about personal injury attorneys and the work they do right here. When you're injured due to someone else's actions, this information will come in really handy.