Is an Iowa Wrongful Death Case the Right Option for You?
Together, as a family, you had things to do, experiences to enjoy, and love to share, but that was all tragically taken from you when your loved one died in an Iowa accident.
You planned to grow old with your spouse.
You expected your parents to live long lives.
You never dreamed of outliving your child.
Now, you are left to make the most of your future without your loved one. The experienced and empathetic lawyers of Hupy and Abraham can help you do that. We understand that you are going through an extremely stressful and difficult time and our lawyers want to get you the help that you deserve.
To schedule a free consultation with one of our wrongful death lawyers at one of our Iowa offices in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, or Davenport, then please call us today at 1-800-800-5678 or start a live chat with us now.
Do You Have a Wrongful Death Case?
Some common types of fatal accidents that result in Iowa wrongful death cases include:
- Car accidents. Any kind of car crash including but not limited to a drunk driving accident, a distracted driving accident, a drowsy driving accident, a pedestrian crash, a bicycle crash, or a truck crash could result in a fatality for a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist.
- Motorcycle accidents. Many fatal motorcycle crashes are caused by car and truck drivers who act in a negligent manner.
- Negligent security incidents. Attacks on other people’s property where the property owner failed to provide adequate security could result in a wrongful death.
- Dog bites. A dog bite may pierce a major artery, cause an infection, or otherwise result in a fatal injury.
- Slip, trip, or fall accidents. Injuries suffered in falls, such as head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other injuries can result in death.
- Unsafe drugs or medical devices. Medication or medical device side effects that were not disclosed to patient or doctor could result in a wrongful death.
- Nursing home abuse or neglect. The intentional or negligent actions of nursing home staff members can result in problems such as wandering from the safe grounds of the nursing home, overmedication, and other dangerous injuries that result in death.
- Other property accidents. Fires, drownings, and other property-related accidents can be fatal.
If your loved one has died in one of these types of accidents, then it is important to know what kind of damages you may recover.
Wrongful Death Damages
If you settle your wrongful death claim or you are successful in court, then you and your family may be able to recover…
- Medical expenses incurred by your loved one between the time of the accident and the time of death
- Pain and suffering incurred by your loved one between the time of the accident and the time of death
- Out-of-pocket expenses, including funeral and burial expenses.
- The income that your loved one was unable to earn from the time of the accident until what would have been his natural death. Of course, you cannot know the exact date on which your loved one would have died had he not been in the accident. However, experts can reasonably anticipate what his life expectancy would have been and what he would have earned in the years to come.
- Your loss of companionship and love. While money can’t bring back your loved one, you deserve to be compensated for the significant relationship that you have lost.
- Punitive damages. In limited circumstances, punitive damages may be awarded. Punitive damages are not meant to compensate the survivors but rather to punish the person whose actions or inactions resulted in someone else’s death.
But before you recover any damages you have to pursue such a recovery from the insurance company or in court.
How to Get the Damages Your Family Deserves
In order to get fair damages after the wrongful death of a loved one, it is important to know how a case works and tips for protecting your recovery. Specifically, it is important to know:
- How to deal with insurance companies. It is important to be cautious if you talk directly with an insurance adjuster. Insurance adjusters are seeking to minimize your recovery and may use what you say against you.
- How insurance settlements work. Once negotiations result in a settlement, that settlement is binding and prevents you from seeking additional compensation in the future.
- Whether you need an attorney. An experienced and compassionate lawyer can represent your interests and help you get the full recovery that you deserve while you focus on your family’s emotional needs.
- The benefits of filing a wrongful death claim. Filing a wrongful death claim could help your recover financially and could hold the person who killed your loved one accountable for his actions.
- How long you have to file a wrongful death claim. In most cases, an Iowa wrongful death claim must be brought within two years of your loved one’s death. However, you should not wait that long to contact a lawyer.
- Whether you have the legal authority to file a wrongful death case. Your loved one may have died, but you must have a specific legal relationship to your loved one in order to have legal standing to bring a lawsuit.
- How to start a lawsuit. You must fulfill specific requirements in order to begin a case in court.
- What evidence you need to build a strong case. The necessary evidence will vary, but could include evidence of the defendant’s negligence, your family’s economic loss, or your family’s suffering.
- What kind of expert witnesses you may need. Experts who can prove what happened to your loved one or the value of your damages may be important to your fair and full recovery.
Today, we invite you to contact our attorneys. We have more than two centuries of combined legal experience and we can use that experience to settle your case fairly and quickly. Often, we can settle wrongful death claims out of court because insurance companies know about our track record and they know that we will not rest until we have justice for our grieving clients.
To learn more, please schedule a free and confidential consultation with our Des Moines wrongful death lawyers today by filling out the contact form on this website or by calling us directly at 800-800-5678.
