Wrongful death refers to a death that is caused by the wrongful or neglectful act of another person or party. When a wrongful death occurs, the surviving family members have the right to file a wrongful death action for damages in civil court, which can yield compensation for economic and noneconomic losses.
If you have lost a family member due to someone else’s negligence, contact the Long Island wrongful death attorneys at The Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP for a free legal consultation.
The Rates and Types of Wrongful Death in the United States
There were 130,557 unintentional deaths that occurred in a single year (2013), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or 41.3 deaths per 100,000 population. There are three leading causes of unintentional death in the United States:
- Unintentional fall deaths
- Motor vehicle traffic deaths
- Unintentional poisoning deaths
Of these, unintentional poisoning deaths are surprisingly the most common. This accident type claimed the lives of 38,851 people in a single year, followed by motor vehicle traffic deaths, which claimed the lives of 33,804 people. Fall deaths are also extremely common, and 30,208 people died in this type of accident. Many fall deaths occur in the workplace, and construction workers may be the most at-risk.
In addition to fatal car accidents, poisoning, and fall deaths, other common causes of wrongful death include: medical malpractice (98,000 deaths), unsafe premises (20,000 deaths), and workplace fatalities (6,000 deaths). However, this list is not exhaustive. There are a variety of other things that may lead to the wrongful death of an individual, such as a defective product or a dangerous drug.
What to Do After the Wrongful Death of a Loved One
When a loved one dies, knowing what to do can be confusing. Because you are likely dealing with the emotional trauma of your loved one’s death, taking any sort of action can be very challenging to do, especially on your own.
While picking up the phone and calling a Garden City NY wrongful death lawyer can be hard to do, an attorney can help you understand your rights and options after losing someone you love. This includes the right to file a civil action for all the losses that you have suffered as a direct result of death. Because the time limit for filing a wrongful death claim is two years from the date of death in the state of New York, it is important that you act quickly. See a specialized attorney as soon as you can to ensure they build a solid case for you based on fresh, actionable evidence. Moreover, the sooner you take legal action, the better your attorneys can use accident reconstruction specialists, witnesses’ testimonies, and other documents. A consultation with the attorneys at Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP is always 100 percent free of charge and obligation.
Reach Out to Our Law Firm Today
A Long Island wrongful death attorney at Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP can answer your toughest legal questions about your wrongful death case. To schedule your free case consultation with our law firm today, call our offices directly or use our online form to tell us more about your case. Do not wait any longer to take action when you have lost a loved one – contact us now!
