Areas Served
Wrongful Death Lawyers Serving Jeannette
The loss of a loved one is always a devastating event, but it can be even more tragic when you know someone else’s actions were the cause. If someone contributed to your loved one’s death in Jeannette, PA, you and your family may be eligible to seek compensation from the at-fault party through a wrongful death lawsuit.
Contact Stine & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation with a compassionate and caring wrongful death attorney serving Jeannette. We’ll go over the details of your case, explain your options for seeking the compensation you deserve, and answer your questions about the legal process.
How Stine & Associates, P.C. Pursue Wrongful Death Claims
If your loved one passed away because of something someone else did, they deserve justice, and you deserve fair compensation for your loss. A wrongful death claim provides a way to do so, but pursuing it on your own could prove challenging. Your time is better spent mourning your loss and spending time with your family. Instead, let a wrongful death attorney serving Jeannette demand justice on your behalf.
Here’s what Stine & Associates, P.C. can do while you focus on other matters:
- We’ll meet you during a free initial consultation, during which you can learn about your rights and options at no cost or obligation.
- Should you choose to hire us, we’ll begin investigating what happened and who’s to blame.
- At the same time as we investigate the accident, we’ll get to understand the financial and personal costs you’ve borne so that we know what fair compensation entails.
- Once we know who’s to blame and how much you’ve suffered as a result, we’ll determine sources for recovery, such as applicable insurance policies.
- Next, we’ll negotiate with at-fault parties and insurers for a settlement that compensates you fully without the need for litigation.
- However, we won’t hesitate to go to trial if it becomes the best way to get you the compensation you’re entitled to and the justice your departed loved one deserves.
Throughout this process, we’ll keep you informed of your case’s progress, and we’ll never charge you a fee unless we win your case.
What Is a Wrongful Death?
In Pennsylvania, a wrongful death is one caused by another person’s “wrongful act or neglect or unlawful violence or negligence.” This means someone could be legally liable for your loved one’s passing if it resulted from that person’s carelessness, recklessness, or intentionally harmful behavior. Some examples of wrongful death cases include:
- A car accident caused by another driver who failed to yield the right-of-way, leading to a collision with your loved one’s vehicle
- A defect in a product’s design, manufacture, or warning labels that causes it to be unreasonably unsafe, leading to your loved one’s death
- A workplace accident, such as if your loved one died after a contractor on a construction site failed to follow proper safety procedures
- A slip-and-fall incident that caused your loved one to strike their head due to an unsafe condition on someone else’s property
- A criminal act, such as a physical assault, domestic violence, or murder
Depending on the circumstances of your loved one’s death, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit, insurance claim, or workers’ compensation death benefits claim. Our skilled Jeannette wrongful death lawyers can determine which option applies to your case and take the necessary steps to seek the compensation you need.
Who Can File a Jeannette Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
In Pennsylvania, only the personal representative (also called the executor) of the deceased’s estate may bring a wrongful death claim. However, if the personal representative has not filed such a claim within six months of the deceased’s passing, the right to file extends to any of the deceased’s beneficiaries. These could include:
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Descendants
- Other next of kin
Pennsylvania law also specifies that the compensation recovered through a wrongful death claim is for the sole benefit of the deceased’s spouse, children, and parents. Any compensation recovered through a wrongful death suit is divided among these parties according to the Commonwealth’s intestate succession laws.
In the event that the deceased did not leave behind a spouse, child, or parent, the personal representative can pursue a claim to recover the deceased’s hospital, nursing, medical, and funeral expenses, as well as money to pay for the management of the estate.
Compensation Available for Surviving Family Members
Through a wrongful death lawsuit in Westmoreland County, surviving family members can seek compensation for the various types of harm they suffered due to the death of their loved one. Losses for which you can seek compensation include:
- Loss of Support: This refers to the financial support your loved one would have provided your family had they not died. Your lawyer can calculate their expected earning capacity based on their age and income.
- Loss of Services: This refers to the household services your loved one provided, including those you must now hire someone else to perform. Examples of these services include childcare, home repairs, and lawn care.
- Loss of Society: This refers to the loss of companionship, consortium, care, guidance, education, and other intangible benefits your loved one provided to your family.
- Loss of Income: This refers to the loss of money and benefits your loved one could have reasonably expected to earn had they not died early. If your loved one lived longer, their estate might have grown, resulting in a more significant inheritance.
- Mental Anguish: This refers to the emotional distress you and other family members experience due to the loss of your loved one. Mental anguish is highly subjective, and an experienced wrongful death lawyer can calculate a fair value for it.
- Funeral and Burial Expenses: The personal representative can seek compensation for the payment or reimbursement of costs related to the deceased’s funeral and burial expenses. This compensation goes to the estate rather than the surviving family members.
Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death in Jeannette
Under Pennsylvania law, families have two years to file lawsuits arising from the death of their loved ones. This two-year time limit begins on the date of your loved one’s death, which may not be the same date as the accident that led to their death. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this period, you will be unable to pursue compensation through the court system.
When you work with one of our Jeannette wrongful death lawyers, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands. We’ll file your lawsuit within the time limit, investigate the incident, and negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company while you focus on grieving the loss of your loved one.
Contact Our Wrongful Death Lawyers Serving Jeannette
Stine & Associates, P.C. brings more than 30 years of experience to bear on even the most complex cases. We’re proud to stand up on behalf of people throughout Western Pennsylvania, and we’re ready to do whatever we can to get you the compensation you deserve.
If someone caused your loved one’s death in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, contact us for a free consultation with one of our experienced wrongful death lawyers. We look forward to meeting you, learning your story, and demanding justice on your behalf.