If your family has lost a loved one because of the negligence of someone else, reach out to experienced wrongful death attorneys in Chattanooga. While you may be feeling an array of emotions, the experienced attorneys from CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm are here to help through this time.
The CEO Lawyer and his proven team of attorneys are here to help inform you of your legal rights. We will fight to ensure that you have the best chance of receiving the financial compensation your family deserves.
Don’t leave yourself open to low-ball offers or to otherwise be taken advantage of by insurance companies. We have years of experience in helping families cope with the loss of a loved one and are here to fight for you as well.
Reach out to our firm so that we can begin fighting for your family. We will be there for you through every facet of your case.
Call (423) 777-8888 today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. During this consultation, we will listen to the specifics of your case and develop a legal strategy that will help hold every party responsible for your loved one’s wrongful death.
We know this is a challenging time, and we would like to do whatever we can to help.
Fight For Your Family With a Chattanooga Wrongful Death Attorney
The CEO Lawyer and his team of experienced attorneys have years of experience with wrongful death claims.
Once you call us, we will begin working on your case as soon as possible. At the onset of your case, we will investigate the circumstances of the death of your loved one and determine which parties are at fault.
Then, we will develop a strategy on how to hold the negligent parties responsible for their actions and fight to get you the maximum compensation in order to recover financially from the death of your loved one.
In Tennessee, when a family member passes away due to someone’s misconduct or negligence, loved ones may sue the responsible party for wrongful death (Tenn. Code § 20-5-106 (2021)). Common situations that may result in wrongful deaths are:
- Car accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
- Work injuries
- Defective or dangerous products
- Slip and falls
Though this list mentions the most common causes of wrongful death, it is by no means exhaustive. If you believe that your family member has suffered a wrongful death through the misconduct or negligence of another party, contact an experienced wrongful death attorney in Chattanooga to help determine how you should best proceed in your particular case.
Tennessee Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations
In Tennessee, there is a time limit — or statute of limitations — for how long you can wait to file a wrongful death suit. In most circumstances, you have 12 months, or one full year, from the date of their passing to file a wrongful death lawsuit (Tenn. Code § 28-3-104 (2021)).
Though there are particular cases where that time frame may be extended, extensions are generally not granted.
A year may seem like a lot of time. However, when you consider all the work that has to be done in order to file a wrongful death suit, you can understand why it is in your family’s best interest to contact an attorney as soon as you suspect that your family member suffered a wrongful death.
Taking action sooner rather than later will increase your chance of successful recovery.
Your Loved One Deserves Justice
Losing a loved one is one of the most painful experiences in life, but losing a loved one because of another’s negligence inflicts even more anguish. If you have a loved one who has been the victim of accidental death due to the negligence of another party, you have the right to take legal action in the pursuit of compensation.
We know that no amount of money can ever replace your loved one. However, receiving financial compensation for their wrongful death can help your family gain a strong financial footing.
It can also give you some well-deserved peace of mind moving forward as you cope with the devastating loss.
If you think that your loved one’s death was a result of someone else’s misconduct or negligence, it is important to understand who can bring forward a wrongful death suit. In Tennessee, only certain individuals are permitted to file a suit.
In Tennessee, you are eligible to file a claim if you are:
- The deceased person’s spouse.
- The deceased person’s child or next of kin if there is no spouse
- The deceased person’s parent, if the child was considered a dependent
- The deceased person’s personal representative.
Losing a family member can be extremely difficult, and you should be allowed the time and space that you need in order to grieve properly. However, as there is a time limit for how long you have to bring a lawsuit forward, it is within your family’s best interest to contact a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible.
Let us begin to fight for justice for your loved ones as you learn to navigate your life without them.
Proving Wrongful Death in Tennessee
Unlike a criminal case, where the prosecutor is responsible for proving the defendant is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt,” plaintiffs in wrongful death cases are not held to that same standard. The burden of proof is lower.
Instead, the lawsuit may be won based on a “preponderance of evidence,” indicating that it is more likely than not that the alleged party was negligent.
A wrongful death lawsuit carries the same burdens of proof that any personal injury lawsuit does. In order to bring forth a valid suit, the plaintiff must prove these four elements:
- Negligence — You must prove that your relative’s death was caused by carelessness, negligence, or recklessness on the part of the defendant.
- Breach of Duty — You will also have to prove that the defendant owed a duty to the victim. For instance, doctors have a duty to maintain a person’s health; motorists have a duty to drive safely and follow traffic laws. You will have to prove both that the defendant owed a duty to the victim and that the duty was breached, resulting in the victim’s death.
- Causation — Additionally, you will need to prove that the breach of duty by the defendant directly caused the death of your loved one.
- Damages — You will also have to show quantifiable damages, which may include medical expenses, burial costs, funeral bills, loss of income, or loss of future wages.
It can be very difficult to prove fault in a wrongful death suit. There are many steps that are necessary to prove your case.
The experience and expertise of a wrongful death attorney can help you build a case around the facts and evidence that are provided to you. Your Chattanooga personal injury lawyer will develop a strategy for your case, investigate all claims thoroughly, interview experts, talk with witnesses, and research tort law.
What Damages Can You Claim in a Wrongful Death Suit?
When filing a wrongful death suit, you will be asked to quantify the damages that occurred as a result of the wrongful death. While insurance companies may be quick to hand out only enough to cover basic funeral and burial expenses, working with a wrongful death attorney can help you determine the full scope of damages your family experienced from the wrongful death of your loved one.
Damages may include:
- The cost of hospitalization
- Other medical expenses
- Funeral costs
- Burial expenses
- Loss of income
- Loss of potential earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of guidance, protection, and inheritance
Though the true impact of the loss of your loved one on your family will never be truly measurable, working with an experienced attorney can help give you the chance to recover compensation that will help ease the burden on your family, both presently and in the future.
Let the Premier Chattanooga Wrongful Death Law Firm Help Your Family
If your family has suffered the unfortunate loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness, The CEO Lawyer, Ali Awad, can help. Awad and his experienced team of attorneys will work to ensure that the surviving family members understand their legal rights and options after a tragic loss.
Suffering a tragic loss can be dumbfounding and leave your family grief-stricken. If your family has had to endure this pain, contact the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm as soon as possible.
You will have the time and space to grieve as you need while having the peace of mind of knowing that you have someone working on your behalf.
We want to get to work helping your family recover compensation so you can manage the economic loss that accompanied the emotional one. By helping you recover the compensation needed to cover the final expenses of your loved ones, we can lighten your load, allowing you to heal and begin planning toward recovery and a new future.
Contact us as soon as you are able. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin fighting for you.
Also, the better your chances will be of pursuing a successful wrongful death claim. Schedule your free, no-obligation case review today by calling (423) 777-8888 or by completing our contact form.
