Did your family member die because of someone else’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing? If so, Maryland’s wrongful death laws provide a way for you to hold that party financially responsible for their actions. Money does not bring back your loved one, but it can lessen the financial impact of their sudden death.
The Dundalk wrongful death lawyers at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers have over 80 years of combined legal experience handling injury claims. We’ll use our law firm’s considerable resources combined with our extensive knowledge of the law to fight for justice for your family.
Contact our law firm at (410) 970-3080 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Dundalk, Maryland.
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How Our Dundalk Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help Your Family With a Wrongful Death Action
Losing someone you love is painful. Knowing your family member’s death was avoidable can add to the grief you experience. Additionally, the sudden loss of a loved one can cause a financial crisis for the surviving family members.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our Maryland wrongful death lawyers understand the issues a family faces after a wrongful death. As personal injury attorneys in Dundalk, we have worked to protect injured parties and their families since 1977.
Our legal team is known to be aggressive legal advocates for our clients. We are also known for our legal experience and success rate. Our lawyers have recovered multi-million dollar awards and jury verdicts for our clients.
The attorneys at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers are recognized by top national and local legal organizations. Our attorneys were included in the list of the Top 40 Under 40 by The National Trial Lawyers.
When you hire us to represent you in Dundalk, MD, our lawyers will:
- Listen to what happened to your family and the outcome you are seeking by filing a wrongful death lawsuit
- Explain your legal options in a straightforward, compassionate manner
- Investigate your family member’s death to determine how it occurred and identify all responsible parties
- Document the damages your loved one and your family have sustained to calculate the correct value for your case
- File insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits
- Handle all aspects of your case
- Work with top experts in their fields to strengthen the case as necessary
- Aggressively negotiate for maximum compensation for damages
- Argue your case before a jury if the at-fault parties refuse to agree to a fair settlement
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers is a family-owned, local law firm with three generations of attorneys on staff. We understand the importance of family. We’ll diligently fight to protect your family’s best interest.
Call our office now to schedule your free case evaluation with an experienced Dundalk wrongful death attorney.
What Is Wrongful Death in Maryland?
Maryland Code §3-902 states that an action can be filed against someone whose wrongful acts cause another person’s death. If the at-fault party dies before a lawsuit is filed, the action can be filed against their probate estate.
The Maryland Code defines a wrongful act as neglect, default, an act, or a felonious act that would have entitled the deceased person to recover damages had they not died. Therefore, many personal injury cases can give rise to a wrongful death claim.
Our Dundalk wrongful death attorneys at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers handle all types of wrongful death claims.
Common types of wrongful death cases include, but are not limited to:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including accidents involving trucks, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and rideshare vehicles
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Slip and fall accidents and other premises liability claims
- Boating accidents
- Birth injuries and child injuries
- Aviation accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Product liability claims (i.e., hazardous and/or defective products)
- Maritime accidents
- Nursing home abuse
- Workplace accidents
- Criminal acts, including gunshots and assaults
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we are committed to fighting for maximum compensation for your claim. Our lawyers will also provide ongoing support and guidance as we help you navigate the system to gain justice for your loved one.
How Do I Prove a Dundalk Wrongful Death Claim?
Wrongful death is a civil claim filed by surviving family members against parties who caused their loved one’s death. Therefore, you have the burden of proving the legal elements of a wrongful death claim.
Most wrongful death lawsuits are based on negligence or intentional acts.
Therefore, you must prove the following legal elements to win a wrongful death action:
- The party you allege to have caused your loved one’s death owed a legal duty of care to your family member.
- The party breached their duty through their actions or omissions.
- The party’s breach of duty was the proximate and direct cause of your family member’s death.
- You sustained damages because of the party’s actions and your loved one’s death.
You do not need to worry about proving your legal case. Our experienced legal staff at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers will handle the investigation to gather evidence building a case against the at-fault party.
Depending on the type of case and the circumstances involved, we may retain medical specialists, engineers, accident reconstructionists, and other expert witnesses. Our legal team will also gather evidence, including police reports, eyewitness testimony, video footage, medical records, and more.
We’ll conduct an extensive investigation to build a strong case to hold the parties who took your loved one away from you accountable for their actions. Our only priority is your family’s best interest and getting you the compensation your family deserves.
What Is My Wrongful Death Case Worth in Dundalk, MD?
Each wrongful death case is unique. The facts and circumstances of your situation determine how much your case is worth.
For example, your loved one’s age, life expectancy, earning capacity, and general health will impact the value of lost wages and earning capacity. In addition to economic damages, family members could be entitled to compensation for their non-economic damages.
The damages allowed in a wrongful death claim differ slightly from those in other personal injury cases. The best way to know how much your case is worth is to call our law firm for a free consultation with a Dundalk wrongful death lawyer.
What Damages Can My Family Receive in a Dundalk Wrongful Death Case?
Our legal team at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers will carefully analyze your case to determine the damages your family is entitled to recover.
Generally, our Dundalk wrongful death lawyers demand compensation for the following:
- Reasonable funeral and burial expenses
- Lost wages and future earnings
- Medical expenses between the injury and death
- Loss of comfort, companionship, and marital care
- Mental anguish
Maximizing the recovery for economic damages and non-economic losses can be complicated. It is challenging to place a dollar amount on your family’s grief. Our legal team will calculate your damages and pursue the amount you and your family deserve.
Who Has the Right To File a Wrongful Death Claim in Maryland?
Each state has laws that dictate who can file a wrongful death claim. Typically, only family members and dependents can file claims for wrongful death. However, there are a few exceptions to the rule.
§3-904 of the Maryland Code provides the rules for who can file a wrongful death claim in Maryland.
The code describes groups of people who can file a wrongful death claim:
Primary Beneficiary Filing Rights
The primary beneficiaries of a deceased person can file a wrongful death lawsuit. Family members in this category include the decedent’s spouse, children, and parents.
Secondary Beneficiary Filing Rights
If there is no one living who falls into the primary beneficiary category, Maryland law permits secondary beneficiaries to file a wrongful death claim.
Secondary beneficiaries are generally people related to the deceased by blood who depend on the deceased for their financial support. In some cases, a person related by marriage could claim to be a secondary beneficiary.
The rules for filing wrongful death lawsuits can be confusing. Parties must follow all notice requirements before filing the lawsuit. The best way to ensure you follow the rules is to hire experienced wrongful death attorneys in Dundalk to handle your case.
What Is the Deadline To File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Dundalk, Maryland?
A statute of limitations sets the deadline for filing lawsuits. Maryland’s statute of limitations for most wrongful death cases is three years after the person’s death. If you miss the deadline, you lose the right to sue the person who caused your family member’s death.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Dundalk Wrongful Death Lawyer?
Our lawyers understand that paying a large fee upfront can be challenging, especially after experiencing a tragic loss. However, we also believe everyone should have access to trusted, experienced legal counsel.
Therefore, our lawyers accept cases on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay any attorneys’ fees until we recover money for your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Dundalk Wrongful Death Lawyers
We understand that your family has been through a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, you might be facing financial uncertainty because of the wrongdoing or negligence of another party. Our Dundalk wrongful death attorneys will help you hold the responsible party accountable by seeking compensation for damages.
Call WGK Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule your free appointment with a Dundalk wrongful death lawyer.
