When another’s carelessness or recklessness causes the death of a loved one, the attorneys at Morgan & Morgan help surviving family members sue the responsible party to recover compensation for their losses. We represent spouses, children, parents and other dependents who not only lost the support and companionship of their loved ones but also incurred medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost wages.
Not everyone will have grounds for a lawsuit, however, and only an experienced lawyer can determine whether you have a case. At Morgan & Morgan, our wrongful death lawyers have decades of experience handling such lawsuits and are dedicated to getting their clients the compensation they deserve following an unexpected loss.
If you’ve lost a loved one in an accident, please fill out our free, no-risk case evaluation form today to find out what our attorneys can do for you.
Cases We Handle
The attorneys in Morgan & Morgan’s Philadelphia office handle wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of surviving relatives who depended on their loved ones for emotional and economic support. These lawsuits are typically filed based on the theory that another person or a corporation’s negligence caused or contributed to the victim’s injuries and death.
One can be considered negligent if they fail to act as any other reasonable person or entity would have acted in a similar situation. For instance, if a drunk driver causes an accident and kills another driver, the drunk driver would be considered negligent because any other reasonable driver would not drink and drive. In addition to careless drivers, our attorneys also handle wrongful death cases against:
Hospitals and nursing homes: Medical establishments may be considered negligent if they fail to properly screen job applicants, monitor their employees or employ enough workers to properly care for their patients. Furthermore, hospitals and nursing homes are generally liable for their staff. Therefore, if a nurse, medical technician or other employee is negligent in providing care, the hospital or nursing home could be held responsible. Medical staff can be considered negligent if they:
- Fail to order standard tests
- Ignore a patient’s vital signs or serious symptoms
- Neglect a patient
- Fail to properly read a patient’s medical charts
- Administer a drug that conflicts with another drug the patient is taking or causes an allergic reaction
Doctors: Most doctors are not considered hospital staff. As a result, general care practitioners, specialists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists can all be sued if their negligence causes a patient’s death. In addition to the examples listed above, doctors can also be considered negligent if they:
- Administer too much or too little anesthesia
- Botch a surgery
- Perform the wrong surgery or an unnecessary surgery
- Fail to perform a timely C-section
- Misdiagnose or delay diagnosing a serious illness
Medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies: Companies that manufacture medical devices and drugs are responsible for ensuring that their products are free of any design or manufacturing defects that could put patients at risk for serious injuries. Furthermore, these companies must provide clear warnings on their products’ labels so that doctors understand the associated risks and can communicate these risks to their patients.
Trucking Companies: Trucking companies are liable for the actions of their employees. If they require or allow their drivers to work without adequate rest or otherwise act negligently in operating their business, they can be held accountable if a driver causes a fatal accident.
What Type of Compensation Can I Recover?
The amount of compensation you may be able to recover through a wrongful death lawsuit will vary based on the specifics of your case, such as the age of the deceased and whether the survivors depended on the deceased for financial support and companionship. Through a wrongful death lawsuit, the victim’s spouse, children or parents may be eligible to receive compensation for the following types of damages:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income, including future earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of benefits
- Loss of companionship
- Funeral expenses
In addition, you may be able to recover punitive damages, which are intended to punish the person or corporation whose actions caused the death to occur.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
The lawyers at Morgan & Morgan will only collect a fee if they successfully resolve your case. If so, they will collect a portion of the final judgment or settlement. Although taking legal action following an unexpected loss may not seem like a priority, it’s important to contact an attorney as soon as possible as there is a strict time limit for filing wrongful death lawsuits.
If you’ve lost a loved one, don’t hesitate to contact Morgan & Morgan today, where one of our attorneys can help ensure your legal rights are protected.