Losing a loved one to a sudden and unexpected accident can be devastating for a family in Wisconsin. But, the sad reality is that car accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents cause thousands of deaths in America each year, including many in Wisconsin. In many cases, families are left behind with not just emotional distress but also mounting financial problems due to their loved one’s death. In some of these types of incidents, a wrongful death claim may be an option.
So, what do our readers in Wisconsin need to know about wrongful death claims? Well, for starters, it is important to understand that these types of claims are brought forward in circumstances in which another party was responsible for the decedent’s death in some manner. For example, in a car accident case, the death may have been caused because the other driver was distracted or drunk behind the wheel. The law enforcement investigation of fatal accidents can provide crucial details about how an accident may have occurred.
In a wrongful death case, the income that the deceased person brought into the family is crucial. How is a family supposed to replace those lost earnings? In a wrongful death case, the surviving family members will need to prove how much the deceased person may have earned over the course of a working lifetime. But, as long as the person’s wages or salary are readily discernable, this may not be much of an obstacle.
The hard part of wrongful death cases is proving that another party’s negligence or recklessness caused the death in question. Any families in Wisconsin who are facing these tragic circumstances will need to carefully evaluate their legal options if they are planning to pursue a wrongful death case.
