two opOur Laurel wrongful death lawyers have been practicing tort law in Maryland for several decades. In that time, our legal team has handled dozens of wrongful death cases. These cases are less common than most other tort cases. That is because, to have a valid wrongful death claim, you need two successful claims. First, the deceased must have a successful claim against the tortfeasor. That is the wrongful part of your claim. Then, there are certain parameters barring some parties from making a wrongful death claim in Laurel.
At Gelb & Gelb, our goal is to assist every potential client in any way we can. While we cannot accept every case if, for example, it is not in a field of law that we practice, we always seek to guide you in the direction you need to go. We believe it is important to treat every potential client with respect. If you are seeking out a lawyer, chances are, your life is undergoing some sort of challenge. We respect that, and we appreciate the trust you place in us when you call. If you have any questions relating to a wrongful death claim, call our Laurel wrongful death lawyers today.
As noted above, a wrongful death claim requires, perhaps most importantly, a wrongful death. For a death to qualify as wrongful under the law, the death must be due to a negligent, reckless, or intentional act. It may occur because of a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, or pedestrian accident. Of course, the possibilities for wrongful death are endless. Once we establish the wrongful death prong of the claim, we examine what parties may make the claim in Laurel.
In Laurel and all of Maryland, a wrongful death action may be brought by only a spouse, parent, or child of the deceased person. However, each of these three groups are subject to limitations. Without going too deep into each group’s exceptions, simply understand that the intent of the exceptions is to disallow someone who did harm to recover. In other words, if the spouse, parent, or child, was involved in the wrongful death, then of course he or she should not be able to recover. Last, the statute of limitations in Laurel is three years. However, there are exceptions to this as well that can stretch the statute beyond those three years. This is why it is always important to contact a Laurel wrongful death lawyer for a free consultation.
When you are pursuing a claim for the death of a close family member, it can be hard to define success. Of course, the one success you really want is impossible. No amount of money can bring back a lost family member. And it is especially frustrating when the death is due to another party’s negligent or intentional action. The criminal aspect of a wrongful death is a separate matter and is one that is handled by the state. On the civil side, while money is an imperfect substitute, it is the only remedy that is available. When you hire a skilled wrongful death lawyer in Laurel, you ensure your rightful compensation for loss of support, loss of companionship, and other harms you suffer from loss of the victim.
When pursuing a viable wrongful death claim, venue is important. There are generally two options when choosing which venue to file suit in. The first option is where the death occurs, in this instance it may be in Laurel. The second option is where the defendant resides. This may be Laurel, but it may also be a separate city or state. Your Laurel wrongful death lawyer will need to weigh the options and examine the law for each jurisdiction. But perhaps equally as important, your attorney will need to examine the potential jury pool. Will a jury be more sympathetic to the death of a local Laurel man or woman? Or will the potential jury be more concerned with the defendant’s well-being if he or she is from that jurisdiction.
Our Laurel wrongful death lawyers have handled thousands of tort cases. Additionally, they have a depth of experience in death cases. If you have any questions regarding your right to recovery in a wrongful death case, do not hesitate to call today.