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Losing a loved one is difficult, especially if their death resulted from an accident caused by negligence. Knowing another party’s actions led to your family member’s fatal injury can leave you with feelings of anger and injustice on top of your grief. If the fatal accident also led to financial stress, you may wonder where to turn.
Since 1991, Christensen Law has advocated for injury victims and their families. Our Royal Oak personal injury lawyers can pursue compensation on behalf of your loved one and their estate so you can focus on healing. Let us support you with compassionate and comprehensive legal care. Contact us online or call our number for a free consultation.
Christensen Law Helps Families Seek Justice for Fatally Injured Loved Ones
Wrongful death claims arise from fatal injuries caused by negligence. If your family has been turned upside down by an individual or entity’s careless and wrongful actions, we want to help you seek financial justice.
Our wrongful death attorneys serving Royal Oak, MI, can help with claims involving:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle collisions
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Construction accidents
- Boating accidents
- Electrocutions
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
We meet each of our clients with empathy and allow them to tell their stories. When we understand what you have been through and your hopes for the future, we can be the strongest advocate possible for you and your family.
Eligibility to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Royal Oak, MI
Michigan law is specific about who can pursue a fatal injury case based on negligence. According to Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.2922, your loved one’s personal representative (executor) must take legal action on behalf of the estate.
The law also limits family members who can receive wrongful death compensation to the following:
- The deceased’s spouse or children
- The deceased’s siblings, parents, or grandparents
- The deceased’s spouse’s children
- Beneficiaries named in the deceased’s will
Wrongful Death Compensation Can Protect Your Family and Future
The sadness and stress of losing a loved one should not be made worse due to financial woes. If a negligent party caused your loved one’s accident, they should shoulder the financial burden – not your or your family.
Our Royal Oak wrongful death attorneys can seek compensation for current and future losses. Every case is different, and recoverable awards will depend on the type of accident involved and other unique factors.
In general, we can seek the following damages:
- Medical expenses. Our lawyers can seek compensation for medical treatment your loved one received from their accident until death. Medical damages may include ambulance transportation, emergency treatment, surgeries, hospital and doctor bills, medications, mobility aids, and medical devices, palliative care, in-home health services, and hospice.
- End-of-life expenses. We can recover the cost of your loved one’s funeral, memorial, burial, or cremation.
- Lost income. We can pursue compensation for your loved one’s lost income and employment benefits up until their death. We can also seek compensation for the loss of your loved one’s future financial support.
- Noneconomic damages. We can seek noneconomic compensation for the loss of your loved one’s services, care, companionship, and other intangible benefits.
Our Case Results
Our commitment to finding personalized and effective legal solutions has yielded record-breaking compensation for our clients, including Michigan’s highest-ever personal injury verdict for a truck accident victim who recovered over $17 million.
Other notable case results include:
- $9.5 million for a wrongful death case involving a fatal stabbing
- $4.55 million for the family of a man who suffered a fatal electrocution
- $3.2 million for a head-on collision car accident involving severe injuries to one party and fatal injuries to another
Our firm spares no resources when pursuing compensation for our clients. We prepare every case for civil court and will represent you at trial if that’s what it takes to get the money you deserve. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
How Our Wrongful Death Lawyers Can Fight for You
Much goes into constructing a solid wrongful death case. Our team can relieve the burden of case building so you can focus on your family and the future.
Our lawyers can:
Prove Negligence
Negligence is a failure to act in a reasonable manner in a given situation. For example, negligence in a car accident may include drinking and driving, driving distracted, speeding, or disobeying traffic laws. Negligence in a slip-and-fall accident may include a failure to repair broken flooring or torn carpeting.
Our attorneys can investigate the accident that caused your loved one’s fatal injury and establish that a negligent party is at fault and should compensate you. We can:
- Visit the accident scene, take photographs and video, and collect physical evidence
- Obtain available cell phone, surveillance, dashcam, or traffic camera footage
- Locate and interview eyewitnesses
- Gather police reports, accident reports, medical records, and other relevant documents
- Hire and consult with case experts when necessary
Manage Case Details
We want to make recovering financial awards as easy on you as possible. Our team will prepare and file insurance claims and legal documents, track and adhere to deadlines, and field all case-related communications.
We will be here to answer your questions, address your concerns, and provide you with the highest level of service and support.
Aggressively Represent Your Best Interests
We work for you, not the insurance companies. Our job is to advocate for your rights and best interests at every stage. We protect our clients from bad-faith insurance tactics, undue pressure, and accidentally saying or doing something that could hurt their claim.
Our lawyers will review your settlement offers, reject lowball payments, and aggressively negotiate for the maximum compensation possible. If necessary, we will take legal action.
What Clients Have to Say About the Wrongful Death Lawyers at Christensen Law
We know that no amount of compensation can truly make up for what you have lost. However, we hope our services can provide you with a measure of justice and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have someone in your corner.
When you work with us, you can focus on the future, knowing your case is in good hands. Our commitment to service is evident in our client testimonials, like the following:
“If you require excellent, courteous and professional legal services, this is the firm you want!!! Without a doubt.” -J. Hawkins
“Christensen Law…is an awesome law firm. They were knowledgeable [about] my situation, responsive, and supportive. The staff worked together and were available to answer questions. Most importantly, I felt they were ethical and responsible.” Wendy Henn
Michigan Laws That May Affect a Wrongful Death Case
Michigan laws surrounding personal injury and wrongful death are complex. Our lawyers can help you navigate the legal system and avoid pitfalls. Laws that may affect your case include:
No-Fault Auto Insurance
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motor vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of preventable injury deaths in the United States. If your loved one’s fatal injury resulted from a motor vehicle accident, your case will involve Michigan’s No-Fault insurance laws.
Under the no-fault system, you must first turn your loved one’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance for compensation after a crash, regardless of fault. Our car accident lawyers can help you file a claim for medical expenses, death benefits, and other covered losses. We will fight for the maximum settlement up to the policy limit.
After exhausting PIP, we can pursue an auto liability claim against an at-fault driver for additional losses not covered by your policy.
Modified Comparative Negligence
Michigan applies modified comparative negligence to personal injury and wrongful death cases. According to Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.2959, claimants can seek compensation from liable parties according to their degree of fault. Any fault the court assigns an injured party will also reduce the claimant’s compensation by that amount.
For example, if the court awards $100,000 in wrongful death damages but finds that the victim was 10 percent liable for the fatal accident, claimants would receive $90,000. However, if the court finds a victim more than 50 percent liable, claimants cannot recover noneconomic compensation. Because insurers know the law, modified comparative negligence will also affect insurance settlements.
Because blaming a victim can ultimately reduce an at-fault party’s financial liability, insurance agents and opposing counsel may try to allege your loved one acted negligently or wrongfully. Our team can defend your claim from these tactics.
The Statute of Limitations
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5805 allows three years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If the statute of limitations expires, the court will likely refuse the case. The deadlines will also affect insurance claims because once the threat of legal action is gone, the insurance companies have no incentive to offer you a fair settlement.
Contact a Wrongful Death Lawyer with Christensen Law
You do not have to fight for your loved one alone. Our Royal Oak wrongful death lawyers can seek full and fair compensation and support you every step of the way. Contact us online or call our number to schedule a free consultation with an experienced legal advocate at Christensen Law.
