Bellevue and Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

If you have reached this page because a loved one has passed away and you believe it may be considered a wrongful death, let us first say how deeply sorry we are for your loss. Here at Premier Law Group, we understand how emotionally difficult it is consider taking legal action over a loved one’s death, and are here to provide you with the support and information you need to make this process as easy as possible on you.

In general, a death is considered a wrongful death if it was the result of someone else’s negligence. There are a variety of ways in which this can happen, such as car accidents, pedestrian collisions, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, bicycle accidents and many more. If a loved one has passed away, you probably have a lot of questions, and this page is meant to provide you with as much information as we can to help answer those questions. It can be very helpful to talk things through with one of our experienced Bellevue and Seattle wrongful death attorneys, and we offer free initial consultations to do just that. If you would like to meet with one of our wrongful death lawyers, feel free to fill out the contact form on the right, or call us at (206) 285-1743 at any time.

Our experienced wrongful death attorneys can help you if you live anywhere in the Puget Sound region from Tacoma to Everett. Check out our other city-specific auto accident pages:

Washington Wrongful Death

The majority wrongful death cases that we take at Premier Law Group deal with transportation-related fatalities. There were nearly 40,000 deaths that occurred last year on our nation’s streets and highways. This number is deeply saddening, which is why we fight so hard through our program “Teens Against Distracted Driving,” to help reduce this number. We also take pride in fighting on behalf of the families who have had to endure such losses. Losing a close family member can have devastating effects, including mental and emotional trauma, as well as financial consequences. When these deaths are caused by the negligence of someone else, the victim’s family is entitled to seek these damages, and will most likely be best served by hiring an experienced wrongful death attorney.

So what exactly makes something a wrongful death, and how does a wrongful death case work?

What is a wrongful death case?

A death is a wrongful death if it is caused by the negligence of someone else. This means that someone else must have done something they shouldn’t have, or not done something they should have. There are many ways in which this can be the case, but one example would be if somebody ran a red light and hit a pedestrian in the crosswalk – resulting in injuries that led to a fatality. The negligent individual would be liable for the damages. Liability changes from situation to situation, and is based on various laws and previous cases determined in the state. It is difficult to determine whether or not you have a wrongful death case without speaking to an attorney who can hear all of the details of your case. To speak with an experienced Seattle wrongful death attorney, give Premier Law Group a call at (206) 285-1743.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases

There are two types of wrongful death claims: general claims, and survival claims. General claims compensate the “beneficiaries,” or relatives of the deceased victim, while survival claims compensates the person who died through his or her estate. The beneficiaries who can receive compensation are limited to spouses, children or stepchildren, as well as parents or siblings that are financially dependent on the deceased. Emotional dependence does not count as a form of dependence, so it needs to be strictly financial. The money that can be recovered for wrongful death claims are known as “damages” and these can range from lost wages and medical bills to non-financial losses such as loss of the relationship and mental anguish. For more information on specific types of wrongful death claims, see Seattle wrongful death attorney Jason Epstein’s videos on the subject by clicking the preceding link.

How a Wrongful Death Claim Works

The wrongful death process is very complicated and can be rather difficult to understand for those without a lot of experience in the subject. Our attorneys Jason Epstein and Patrick Kang wrote a book on Washington wrongful death to help out those who need in depth information on the topic, which you can get for free by clicking the preceding link. Here is a broad overview though, to help give you a better idea of what you will need to do if a loved one has suffered a wrongful death. The first step in filing a wrongful death case is appointing a personal representative for the deceased. This is usually one of the beneficiaries discussed earlier. A summons and complaint will then be brought to the at-fault party, and once this happens, the lawsuit begins. There is a statute of limitations in the state of Washington that requires you to begin the lawsuit within three years of the wrongful death. If you wait longer than this, you can no longer seek damages for the death. If you file the lawsuit properly, then the case will enter the “discovery” phase, where both sides will work to strengthen their respective cases, and better understand the arguments coming from the opposing side. Before going to trial, the case could go through alternative dispute resolutions, such as mediation and arbitration. If the case cannot be settled, then it will go to trial.  Again, this is a very complicated process, and each case is different. To get a better understanding of what exactly you should do for your case, you should contact our office and speak to an experienced Seattle or Bellevue wrongful death lawyer.

How can Our Experienced Washington Wrongful Death Attorneys Help You?

If a loved one has died as the result of someone else’s negligence, we understand that you have a lot of questions that need honest and straightforward answers. Our Pierce and King County wrongful death attorneys have the years of experience to help guide you through the process, and the understanding personalities to relieve you of as much stress as possible. We offer free initial consultations so people can receive the advice they need without having to pay a penny. For more information on pursuing a wrongful death claim, check out these Steps to Remember, as well as our wrongful death FAQs.

We are aggressive Seattle injury lawyers that have years of experience fighting cases all throughout the Puget Sound. If a family member of yours has been died as the result of a wrongful death, you would like some free advice on what you should do next, fill out the contact form on the right side of the screen, or call us at (206) 285-1743. We have a long history of bringing injured victims the money they deserve to compensate for their accident damages. If a family member has died and someone else was to blame, call us today for a free consultation and case evaluation. In fact, if we handle your case, you pay absolutely no legal fees unless we win.