Tampa Wrongful Death Attorney

Wrongful deaths happen every day. It may be a medical mistake, car or plane accident, a criminal attack, death during a supervised activity, or a work-related accident involving dangerous conditions or chemicals. In the state of Florida a person, persons, or company responsible for the wrongful death of another individual is held liable in a civil court of law for that person’s death. Essentially, a wrongful death is a death that a third party is responsible for and a death that the third party may have and should have prevented.

By definition, under Florida law, a wrongful death is a death that occurs because of a breach of contract, wrongful act, default, or negligence. A breach of contract may occur when a contractor uses substandard materials or performs faulty work in order to cut costs without the consumer’s knowledge or approval. A wrongful act or default case may surface when a motor vehicle or watercraft driver is texting while operating the vehicle or watercraft and causes a fatal accident. Negligence may occur in a medical setting. For instance, a grandmother is living in a retirement home because she is confined to a wheelchair. Because of medical negligence, or malpractice, she is not taken to the bathroom at regular intervals. Therefore, the grandmother tries to go to the restroom by herself, while doing so, she slips and falls, and experiences severe head trauma that results in her death. The retirement home is responsible for her premature death due to medical malpractice or negligence.

Any survivor of a wrongful death victim may file suit in the state of Florida. Survivors include parents, spouses, children, siblings, and any other blood relative, or adoptive relatives of the deceased. Each survivor is entitled to compensation for the future anticipated support and service of the deceased family member. Future support includes but is not limited to potential earnings in the form of wages, pension benefits, social security benefits, interest, and the deceased’s estate. Future service includes but is not limited to companionship, security, parental instruction and guidance, and protection. It also includes care giving of a disabled child, spouse, or other relative.

The state of Florida leads the rest of the nation in terms of auto accidents, drowning, and medical malpractice. Tampa’s highways and interstates are laced with thousands of accidents each year, many of which are fatal. The automobile manufacturer may be at fault, for instance an airbag that deploys prematurely, anti-lock brakes that do not work correctly, or a vehicle prone to rollovers, all of which causes some of those fatalities. Drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol may also be to blame, as well as distracted drivers who may be at fault for an accident that results in a death.

Just as smokers have sued tobacco companies for ill health, survivors of a wrongful death victim have legal rights in which they may be compensated monetarily for their beloved family member’s premature death. The Tampa wrongful death attorneys understand this time of loss and are more than willing to work hard for you and your family during this time of turmoil. The emotional burden is hard enough without the worry of a huge financial load due to unexpected medical and funeral expenses. Tampa wrongful death attorneys cannot only recover your financial loss due to mental pain, suffering, and lost lifetime earnings, but also medical and funeral expenses incurred from a wrongful death.