Unfortunately, wrongful death accidents happen across the state. When someone is negligent, they put your loved ones at risk of a fatal accident. It is not fair that someone else’s actions can leave you and your family picking up the pieces of your lives. You deserve justice. An experienced Kentucky wrongful death attorney can help your family get what you deserve after losing someone in a wrongful death accident.
If you have lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, contact a lawyer today to help your family get your lives back on track. Wrongful death law is complex. Continue reading to learn more about wrongful death claims and how one of our attorneys can help.
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Kentucky Wrongful Death Guide
- Why Choose Gray & White After a Wrongful Death Accident?
- How Much Is My Wrongful Death Case Worth?
- Reasons That Wrongful Death Accidents Happen in Kentucky
- How Can a Kentucky Lawyer at Gray & White Help Me Fight the Insurance Company After a Wrongful Death?
- What Should I Do After a Wrongful Death Accident?
- Contact a Kentucky Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
Why Choose Gray & White After a Wrongful Death Accident?
Our experienced Kentucky wrongful death attorneys are here to help your family get the justice that you deserve after an accident that took the life of your loved one. We know how overwhelming and emotionally draining this process can be, so we want to partner with you as you pursue the financial compensation you need to protect your family’s financial future.
The legal team at Gray & White assists our clients by:
- Compassionate and personalized service
- Client-centered approach to representation
- Years of experience and a successful track record
If you choose our attorneys, you will have a dedicated legal team of professionals who are deeply passionate about getting your family the results that you deserve. We want to partner with you during this trying time.
How Much Is My Wrongful Death Case Worth?
The value of your wrongful death case depends heavily on the surrounding circumstances of the accident. A Kentucky wrongful death attorney can help you and your family get the full and fair compensation that you deserve after losing someone because of someone else’s negligence. Here are some factors that influence the value of your wrongful death claim:
Medical Expenses Incurred Before Death
Families will have the right to recover for the cost of care incurred by the deceased before they die. It may include compensation for hospital bills, surgeries, and other treatments.
Funeral and Burial Costs
Funeral and burial costs are massive expenses for families after losing a loved one in a wrongful death accident. Fortunately, families might be entitled to recover for the reasonable expenses related to laying their loved one to rest.
Loss of Income and Financial Support
If the family relied on the deceased monetarily, they can recover compensation for the deceased’s lost income and financial support for the surviving family member. Kentucky law only allows the personal representative of the estate to file a wrongful death lawsuit, but the family who lost the benefit of the deceased’s income will reap the proceeds of the lawsuit.
Loss of Benefits
The family can recover from the loss of the deceased’s benefits. It includes pension plans, healthcare benefits, and retirement savings that the deceased would have provided but for the accident that caused their death.
Pain and Suffering
The family’s pain and suffering is a compensable loss after a wrongful death accident. Pain and suffering compensation includes payment for the emotional distress and suffering experienced by family members and by the deceased before they passed away.
Loss of Companionship and Guidance
This covers the loss of companionship and guidance for spouses, children, and dependents who rely on the deceased for love, care, and emotional support. An attorney can help present this hard-to-quantify loss to an insurance company or judge.
Punitive Damages
If the death was caused by gross negligence, then Kentucky law might allow the family to recover for punitive damages. Additional damages may be awarded to punish the party responsible.
Working with an attorney is the best way to get the full and fair compensation that your family deserves after losing someone in a wrongful death accident. Speak to a lawyer to learn all your options for recovery.
Reasons That Wrongful Death Accidents Happen in Kentucky
There are many reasons that wrongful death accidents happen in Kentucky. Generally, these accidents happen because a person or entity was negligent. These tragedies can happen in various situations, often due to preventable causes.
We have represented families that lost loved ones in various ways. Here are some common types of cases that the wrongful death attorneys at Gray & White have handled:
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Car Accidents
A serious car accident can lead to fatal injuries. Distracted driving, speeding, reckless behavior, and failure to follow traffic laws can cause deadly crashes.
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Truck Accidents
Large commercial truck crashes can cause devastating fatalities due to driver fatigue, overloaded trucks, or improper maintenance.
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Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists are among the most vulnerable travelers on the road. Because motorcycles do not have the covering that passenger vehicles or large trucks have, crashes involving motorcycles can end in death.
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Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents can be fatal. Negligent drivers striking pedestrians or cyclists often result in fatal injuries.
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Medical Malpractice
Medical errors cause deaths every year. Whether the injury was caused by surgical or medication errors, a failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis, or a family suffered a birth injury, an attorney can help your family find the justice that it deserves.
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Workplace and Construction Accidents
Unsafe workplaces, particularly construction sites, can be the cause of a wrongful death accident. If safety protocols are not followed, or the employer uses defective equipment or machinery, the results can be fatal.
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Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
Lack of proper medical care, dehydration, malnutrition, and untreated infections can lead to fatalities in nursing homes. These conditions can result in fatal health complications.
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Defective Auto Parts
Bad car parts can cause serious and fatal accidents. Brake failures, tire blowouts, and airbag malfunctions are common but can cause deadly crashes.
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Dangerous Pharmaceuticals and Unsafe Consumer Products
Manufacturers are required to place safe products onto the marketplace, but when they fail to do so, there can be deadly consequences. Medications, for example, that have undisclosed side effects can lead to the death of the consumer.
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Premises Liability
Property owners have a legal obligation to keep their premises safe from an unreasonable risk of harm. Dangerous premises often lead to deadly injuries, whether the accident happens because of a drowning in a swimming pool, a slip and fall accident, or a poorly maintained property.
If your loved one was killed in an accident, your family deserves the support of a qualified legal team. A Kentucky wrongful death attorney at Gray & White can help hold responsible parties accountable and recover compensation for medical expenses, lost income, funeral costs, and emotional suffering.
Contact us today to learn more about your legal options and how to protect your family’s future after losing someone in a wrongful death accident.
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How Can a Kentucky Lawyer at Gray & White Help Me Fight the Insurance Company After a Wrongful Death?
Losing a loved one due to another’s negligence is devastating. Dealing with heartless insurance companies can add to stress. Insurers often try to minimize payouts or deny claims to protect their profits. A Kentucky wrongful death lawyer can help fight back and ensure you receive the justice and compensation your family deserves. Here is how a lawyer can help:
Investigate and Prove Liability
You must prove that another person or entity was liable for the accident to win your wrongful death case. Your attorney will investigate the accident, looking for the actual cause of your loss. They may build a strong case with accident reconstruction experts, medical professionals, and investigators. Lawyers also might obtain police reports, medical records, and witness statements to support your claim.
Handle All Communications with the Insurance Company
Working with an insurance company without an attorney can cause delays in payments or settlement offers that barely cover your damages. Insurance adjusters may pressure you into accepting a low settlement or make misleading statements about your rights. Your lawyer will protect you from bad-faith tactics, ensuring you do not accept an unfair offer. Attorneys negotiate aggressively to secure a fair payout for funeral costs, lost earnings, medical expenses, and emotional suffering.
Calculate The Full Value of Your Wrongful Death Case
An attorney can review the facts of your case and determine its full financial value. Insurance companies often undervalue wrongful death claims to save money. A lawyer ensures that all damages are accounted for.
Challenge Insurance Denials or Delays
One common tactic insurance companies use to avoid making payments is to deny or delay legitimate claims. Insurance companies wrongfully deny claims or delay payments in hopes that families will give up. Your lawyer will fight against wrongful denials, ensuring insurers follow Kentucky law.
File a Lawsuit and Represent You In Court
If settlement negotiations with the insurance company do not end in a satisfactory settlement, then your lawyer will file a lawsuit on your behalf. Kentucky law allows only the personal representative of the deceased’s estate to file a wrongful death claim, and your lawyer will ensure all legal steps are properly followed.
Ensure You Meet Kentucky’s Legal Deadlines
Kentucky has a strict statute of limitations for wrongful death claims- typically one year from the date of the estate’s appointment. Missing deadlines can give the insurance company a reason to deny your claim. Having an attorney handling the procedural requirements of your case means that you do not need to worry about your case being dismissed on a technical basis.
Losing a loved one is emotionally overwhelming. A lawyer takes the legal burden off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on healing while they handle the battle. Contact an attorney now because you and your family deserve the support a qualified legal team can offer.
What Should I Do After a Wrongful Death Accident?
If you have lost someone in a wrongful death accident, the steps that you take afterward are vital to the success of your claim. After a wrongful death accident in Kentucky, taking the right steps is vital to protecting your rights and securing justice for your loved one. Here is what you should do:
Obtain the Death Certificate
Before beginning your pursuit of justice in a wrongful death claim, you will need to get a copy of the deceased’s death certificate. The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics issues death certificates, which will be needed for legal and insurance claims.
Preserve Vital Evidence
If you intend to pursue financial compensation for your loss, you will need to provide certain pieces of evidence. Keep records of medical treatment, medical bills, funeral costs, the deceased’s lost income, and any related damages for your case. An attorney can help ensure that you are collecting and preserving the best evidence for your case.
Avoid Speaking to Insurance Companies
Insurance companies are solely focused on protecting the company’s bottom line. Insurance companies often try to settle quickly for less than you deserve. Let your attorney handle negotiations to maximize your compensation.
Contact a Wrongful Death Lawyer
Time is of the essence to file a wrongful death lawyer. Kentucky has a statute of limitations for filing wrongful death claims (typically one year from when the estate is appointed or two years of not appointment is made).
An experienced wrongful death lawyer can help investigate, gather evidence, and pursue compensation for funeral expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering, etc.
Contact a Kentucky Wrongful Death Lawyer Today
Mark Gray, Kentucky Wrongful Death Lawyer
Losing a loved one due to someone else’s negligence is heartbreaking and unfair. You shouldn’t have to face this fight alone. If you have lost a family member due to a preventable accident, medical malpractice, or misconduct, you deserve justice and compensation for your loss.
At Gray & White, we are dedicated to holding responsible parties accountable and securing the financial relief you need for medical expenses, lost income, and emotional suffering.
Let us advocate for you while you focus on healing. Call us today for a free consultation to discuss your case and we can provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your wrongful death case. You deserve closure; you deserve justice. Contact Kentucky personal injury attorneys at Gray & White now to get started.