Lafayette Wrongful Death Lawyer

If your loved one lost their life due to a car accident, medical malpractice, or another form of negligence, we are truly sorry.

Nothing can replace what you have lost. But a wrongful death lawyer can build a case to help you achieve compensation and closure.

The Law Offices of Richard R. Kennedy in Lafayette, LA, can provide you with an attorney to help your family right this wrong.

What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?

A wrongful death claim falls under the category of a personal injury lawsuit. When someone dies due to the legal fault of another person or entity, their family members have the right to file a claim for wrongful death if they’re suffering monetary injury as a result. Different incidents can lead to a wrongful death case, including:

If your loved one lost their life due to the negligence of another person or organization in New Iberia, Lafayette, or a surrounding area, filing a wrongful death lawsuit can allow you to seek financial compensation for your loved one’s lost wages, funeral expenses, and other losses.

How Do Wrongful Death Claims Work?

UNDERSTANDING LOUISIANA’S WRONGFUL DEATH LAWS

A wrongful death claim must be filed by one of the victim’s surviving family members. The closer your familial relationship to the deceased person, the more likely you are to be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. As stated in Art. 2315.2 of the Louisiana statutes, the family members who are eligible to file a wrongful death claim to recover damages from the offending party include:

• Surviving spouse and/or children
• Surviving mother and/or father, if there are no surviving spouse or children
• Surviving siblings, if there are no surviving spouse, children, or parents
• Surviving grandparents, if there are no surviving spouse, children, parents, or siblings
• The deceased’s estate, if there are no surviving spouse, children, parents, siblings, or grandparents

Family members by adoption are also included in this Article. If a parent abandoned the victim when they were a minor, the parent is not eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Louisiana’s Statute of Limitations

FILE YOUR WRONGFUL DEATH CASE BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT

Louisiana has a statute of limitations of one year for wrongful death lawsuits, meaning you have one year from the date of the passing of your loved one to file your claim. However, it’s important to file your wrongful death suit as soon as you can because it can take several months to investigate and build your case. After the statute of limitations is up, you may lose the right to recover compensation for the wrongful death forever.

Common Damages Our Wrongful Death Attorneys Can Fight For

In order to file a claim for a wrongful death, there have to be financial losses. If your loved one lost their life because of an accident, we are ready to do everything possible to obtain compensation for:

• Memorial and burial expenses
• Injury to the deceased
• Injury to the deceased person’s family
• Property damage, like in the case of a car accident
• Emotional pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Punitive damages
• Medical services that were necessary as a result of the accident that led to the wrongful death
• Lost earnings and benefits the victim would have earned if they survived

Why Work With Our Wrongful Death Attorneys?

OUR PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS CAN ALLEVIATE THE BURDEN ON YOUR FAMILY

• You Can Focus on Healing

  If your family is healing from a tragedy, the last thing you want to do is put together a case. We understand that a victim’s loved ones need time to grieve, so we are committed to taking care of the legal aspects of a wrongful death case.

• We Know the Legal Process

  The average person isn’t expected to know everything about the legal process, but our personal injury lawyers can make sure that everything related to your wrongful death case is filed correctly and on time.

• We Will Keep You Informed

  We always work closely with clients to keep them immediately informed of all actions we take in their cases. We are always available to answer questions so you can understand the details of your case and the legal process.

• We Offer Free Consultations

  Our law firm offers free initial consultations so clients can explain their situation and financial hardships. Scheduling a free meeting with our personal injury lawyers can make you aware of your options and help you decide on the next steps to take. We can then decide if you have a case.

• We Work on Contingency

  We work on a contingency basis, meaning our fee will be a reasonable percentage of your verdict or settlement. We will not collect this fee unless or until we secure your compensation. If our attorneys are unable to secure compensation for you, then you won’t owe us anything.