Jacksonville Wrongful Death Attorneys

The loss of a loved one can be one of the most traumatic experiences in one’s life. This experience is even worse when the loss is untimely and is the result of the negligence, misconduct, or carelessness of another. Often times, the loss of a loved one has more than just an emotional effect—the relatives of the decedent must also cope with the loss of financial support as well as the expenses that arise from the death. In these situations, the surviving family members of the decedent may bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the person or organization responsible in order to receive compensation for their loss. The wrongful death lawyers at Abbott Law Group empathize with family members who have lost a loved one due to another person’s wrongful acts. Although nothing can bring back the life of a loved one, the attorneys at Abbott Law Group have the legal expertise to ease families’ emotional and financial burdens by holding parties accountable for their misconduct.

What is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

According to Florida law, a wrongful death lawsuit may be brought in a civil action by close relatives of a decedent who lost his or her life due to the fault of another person. Wrongful death can arise from an assortment of events or accidents including:

Motor vehicle accidents

Drivers have a duty to use care while operating a vehicle, drive safely, be mindful of other drivers, and obey traffic laws. If a driver breaches his or her duty and someone is killed as a result, a wrongful death lawsuit may be brought against the responsible driver.

Defective products

In the United States, product manufacturers have a duty to test their products for health risks and warn consumers of these risks. When these manufacturers fail to do so, they may be held liable for wrongful deaths that result from the consumption of their products.

Medical malpractice

Medical practitioners, as well as nurses, and other medical staff, have a duty to act in accordance with the accepted standard of care used in the medical community. When medical practitioners breach their duty and a patient dies as a result, they may be held liable for the wrongful death.

Workplace accidents

Workplace accidents such as falls, explosions, and equipment failures are a major cause of wrongful deaths. While workplaces like construction sites, manufacturing plants, and mines are inherently dangerous, employers still have a duty to keep the workplace as safe as possible. When employers breach their duty and an employee dies as a result, a wrongful death lawsuit may be filed against the employer.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

If a family member has died as a result of a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, defective product, medical malpractice, workplace accident, or other cause, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person or organization responsible. In Florida, survivors of the decedent may seek compensation for lost support and services following the wrongful death of a family member. According to Florida law, the survivors must be spouses, children, parents, or any other relatives that relied on the decedent for financial support.

While contacting a wrongful death attorney may not be the first thing on one’s mind after the loss of a loved one, it is very important to do so as soon as possible. The statute of limitations in Florida limits the amount of time one has to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Once the statute of limitations has run, the surviving parties are completely barred from filing suit against the party responsible for the wrongful death. If you lost a family member and you believe that it could have been prevented if the other party had used better judgment, contact the wrongful death lawyers at Abbott Law Group to discuss your legal options.

The attorneys at Abbott Law Group have over thirty years of experience litigating wrongful death cases, and will continue fighting for those who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of others. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.