Rhode Island Wrongful Death Lawyer

If you had to cope with the death of a loved one, due to the fault of another, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering, among other losses. Our firm handles death cases for car and motorcycle accident cases and we also are working with experienced wrongful death lawyers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, who charge no fee unless you get an award or settlement. Contact us toll free or online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.

What Is a Wrongful Death?

A wrongful death occurs when a person dies due to the fault of another. Wrongful death cases usually result from accidental injuries inflicted on the victim, but they can also result from intentional acts. Not every death is a wrongful death, like when someone passes away from natural causes or from old age. However, if someone was irresponsible and that led to the death, then you may be able to receive compensation.

What Are Causes of Wrongful Death?

Wrongful deaths can be caused in many ways, such as:

Depending on the cause, or causes, death cases can be very complex. A wrongful death lawyer will be able to tell you whether your loved one’s death was caused through the fault of another.

What Is a Wrongful Death Case Worth?

Wrongful death cases try to compensate families to help survivors cope with the loss of their loved one. The types of compensation available may include:

• Lost Income – This is an estimate of how much money the deceased would have earned over the course of the rest of their life, had they not passed away.
• Medical Expenses – These are determined by the amount of expenses from hospitals or other medical care providers during the time between the deceased’s injury and leading up to their death.
• Pain and Suffering – This is factored in to compensate the deceased for their pain and suffering experienced prior to the eventual death. This can vary wildly, and can range into the multiple millions of dollars.
• Loss of Consortium – This is usually given to spouses, but can also go to children or parents of the deceased. Loss of Consortium represents the loss of companionship, guidance, and relationship with the deceased.
• Punitive Damages – These can sometimes be awarded, in some states, to the family if the death was caused intentionally or the person at-fault was extremely out of line with normal behavior. They are intended to punish the person at-fault and, like pain and suffering, can range into the millions of dollars.
• Other Losses

In Rhode Island, the wrongful death law states that the at-fault party must pay the deceased’s family at least $250,000 in damages. This amount may be adjusted much higher when the above mentioned types of compensation are factored in.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Wrongful Death lawsuits can be filed by the family of the deceased. Usually, wrongful death cases are brought by a husband or wife, child of the deceased, or other family member who has been given the legal right to bring the case. Death cases must usually be filed within three years of the death, however, time limits can often vary. It is important to speak with an experienced Rhode Island wrongful death lawyer in order to determine whether or not you can file a lawsuit.

Wrongful Death Lawsuits and Awards or Settlements

Wrongful death lawyers around the country have been successfully handling these kinds of cases for years. Successful lawsuits include:

• $30.7 Million to the family of a young New York boy who fell through the ice and drowned while saving his little brother, who had also fallen through the ice. The property owner failed to place warning signs around the pond.
• $28 Million to the family of a Massachusetts woman killed by a collapsing tunnel built during the “big dig” in Boston.
• $15 Million to the family of an Illinois victim of a plane crash, because the private jet liner allowed an amateur to fly the plane instead of a professional pilot.
• $11 Million to the family of an Arizona man who died while being cared for at a nursing home, after he ate a foreign object. The jury determined that the nursing home had a duty to prevent him from eating the objects.
• $3.5 Million settlement to the family of a young Rhode Island child that was hit by a motor vehicle, as a pedestrian, and was killed. Our firm maintained joint responsibility with another trial attorney and settled the case before going to trial.

Why Contact Us?

If you believe you have a wrongful death case, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, among other losses. Our firm handles certain types of death cases such as from car and motorcycle accidents, etc. and we are also working with experienced Rhode Island and Massachusetts wrongful death lawyers, who handle other types of death cases such as from medical malpractice, workers compensation, etc. There are no fee unless you obtain a settlement or award. Contact us toll free or online for a free (no obligation) case evaluation.