Pomona Wrongful Death Lawyer
Giving Mourning Families the Wrongful Death Representation They Deserve
Loss is never easy. This is especially true when the loss is of a loved one. While damaged property can be replaced and injuries can heal, death is permanent. Often, death is a fact of life that cannot be controlled. In other circumstances, though, death is the result of someone else’s negligence. Although people cannot always be held criminally responsible for causing someone else’s death, you can hold them financially accountable.
A wrongful death suit is a type of lawsuit brought by the family of a deceased individual against the responsible parties. Although a wrongful death suit cannot send someone to prison, it can hold people and businesses financially liable for causing someone’s death. While these lawsuits can’t bring anyone back or ease the pain and suffering of loss, they can help you achieve a sense of justice. A wrongful death suit can also help financially unburden you from any bills you may have incurred as a result of your loved one’s loss.
California is home to a high number of accidental deaths. On average, about 20,000 people die in California every year under circumstances that could be classified as wrongful death. Although it is rare for a wrongful death suit to go all the way to trial, they result in settlements with the victim’s family about 60% of the time. The average settlement amount for a wrongful death in California is about $1 million. This is why if you lost a loved one in California, you should contact our firm’s experienced wrongful death attorney.
What Counts as a Wrongful Death?
When we lose a loved one, we often want to seek someone or something to blame. In many circumstances, especially those involving age and incurable illnesses, no one is responsible. However, in many circumstances, deaths are not only preventable, but they are also directly someone else’s fault.
Every wrongful death case differs from the next in several ways because every situation is so incredibly unique. A situation that may constitute wrongful death under certain circumstances may not count in another case. Whether a death was wrongful depends on a variety of factors. Under California law, wrongful death is defined as “the death of a person caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.”
On average, the number one leading cause of wrongful deaths in California is car crashes. However, in recent years, the number of wrongful deaths due to workplace accidents has been rising, especially in the construction and transportation sectors.
Common causes of wrongful death include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Abuse
- Negligence
- Poisoning
- Car Accidents, Including Drunk Driving
- Truck Accidents
- Construction Site Accidents
- Workplace Accidents
- Crime, Including Homicide
- Property Accidents
- Product Defects
- Drowning
- Medical Malpractice or Negligence
These are only a fraction of the kinds of wrongful death suits our legal team has handled in the past. Pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit might seem daunting, but all you need is a skilled, compassionate, and knowledgeable accident lawyer to guide you through the process. Whether your loved one is a victim of a drunk driver wrongful death, you need to file a drowning wrongful death claim, your loved one suffered wrongful death by medical negligence, or you’re searching for an assault wrongful death lawyer to hold an abusive individual accountable for their actions, our professional team is here to help.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim in Pomona, CA?
In California, wrongful death claims are usually filed by family members of the deceased. These parties may include a surviving spouse or domestic partner, surviving children or stepchildren, or the deceased’s parents. In some instances, heirs of the deceased may file a wrongful death suit even if they are not related by blood or marriage.
If you lost a loved one and you believe a wrongful death claim is in order, reach out to our qualified accident attorney. We’ll be happy to take a look at the case, answer your legal questions, help you file a claim, and even help prove that you are the individual entitled to compensation.
What Types of Damages Can You Recover in a Pomona Wrongful Death Claim?
When a loved one’s death is caused by someone else’s negligence, surviving family members face not only devastating grief but also significant financial burdens. A Pomona wrongful death lawyer can help you understand the full scope of wrongful death damages available under California law so that nothing is overlooked when pursuing compensation.
Economic damages account for the measurable financial losses your family has suffered and will continue to face. These include:
- Medical expenses incurred before your loved one’s death, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, and any medical treatment received between the injury and the fatal incident
- Funeral expenses and burial costs associated with laying your loved one to rest
- Lost income and financial support that the deceased would have provided to the family over their remaining working years
- Loss of benefits including health insurance, pension contributions, and other financial support the family was financially dependent on
Non-economic damages address the intangible losses that are harder to quantify but equally significant:
- Loss of companionship, love, and emotional support for a surviving spouse, domestic partner, or surviving children
- Emotional distress and mental anguish experienced by the victim’s family as a result of the loss
- Loss of guidance and nurturing particularly for minor children who have lost a parent
Punitive damages may be available in wrongful death cases involving particularly egregious conduct or intentional actions by the responsible party. While less common, punitive damages serve to punish the liable parties and deter similar behavior in the future.
A Pomona wrongful death attorney at Wolf Law Firm will calculate the full value of your claim and fight to obtain maximum compensation for every loss your family has endured.
How a Pomona Wrongful Death Attorney Investigates and Builds Your Case
Wrongful death cases are among the most complex personal injury matters a law firm can handle. Proving that someone else’s negligence directly caused your loved one’s death requires a thorough investigation, meticulous evidence gathering, and a clear legal strategy. Here’s how a Pomona wrongful death lawyer approaches the process of building a strong case on your family’s behalf.
Preserving critical evidence early. Time-sensitive evidence can disappear quickly after a fatal incident. Your Pomona wrongful death attorney will act immediately to preserve evidence including police reports, surveillance footage, physical evidence from the scene, and any available witness statements. In auto accidents and construction accidents, vehicle data recorders and worksite safety logs must be secured before they’re altered or destroyed.
Gathering medical documentation. Medical records, medical charts, and treatment histories establish the connection between the incident and your loved one’s death. In medical malpractice and medical negligence cases, these records are essential to proving that a healthcare provider’s actions fell below the accepted standard of care.
Establishing negligence and determining liability. To prove negligence, your Pomona wrongful death lawyer must demonstrate that the responsible party owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and that the breach directly caused the death. In complex cases involving multiple liable parties, such as a motor vehicle accident involving a commercial truck or a construction accident with multiple contractors, determining liability requires careful analysis of every party’s role.
Consulting with specialists. A skilled wrongful death attorney works with accident reconstruction professionals, medical experts, economists, and vocational specialists to strengthen your case. These experts help quantify lost income, project future financial losses, and provide testimony that supports your claim in settlement negotiations or at trial.
Calculating the full value of your claim. Your Pomona wrongful death attorney will compile financial documentation, medical expenses, burial expenses, and projected lost earnings to ensure your family pursues fair compensation that reflects the true impact of your loss.
Why Timing Matters When Working with a Pomona Wrongful Death Lawyer
After the death of a loved one, the last thing most families want to think about is the legal process. Grief, funeral arrangements, and the daily responsibilities of holding a household together understandably take priority. However, the steps your family takes in the weeks and months following a wrongful death can directly affect your ability to seek compensation and hold the responsible party accountable.
Evidence deteriorates quickly. Physical evidence from the scene of a fatal incident, including surveillance footage, witness memories, and maintenance records, becomes harder to obtain with each passing week. A Pomona wrongful death attorney can send preservation letters and begin gathering evidence immediately, ensuring that critical proof isn’t lost before your case even begins.
The statute of limitations creates a firm deadline. California law gives surviving family members two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. While two years may seem like ample time, building a strong case requires months of investigation, expert consultations, and document collection. Families who wait too long to seek legal counsel risk running out of time to file or being forced to rush the preparation process.
Insurance companies move fast. After a fatal car accident, truck accident, or workplace incident, insurance companies begin building their defense immediately. They send investigators, collect statements, and develop strategies to minimize their liability. Without a Pomona wrongful death lawyer working on your behalf from the outset, the insurance company controls the narrative and the evidence.
Financial pressure compounds over time. When a family loses someone who provided financial support, the impact of lost income, unpaid medical bills, and funeral costs grows more severe with each month. Early legal action through a Pomona wrongful death attorney can accelerate the path toward financial recovery and relieve some of the burden your family is carrying.
Contact Wolf Law Firm at (833) 388-8888 for a free consultation with a Pomona wrongful death lawyer who will protect your family’s rights and pursue the justice your loved one deserves.
How Do I File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
In addition to the grief of losing a loved one, wrongful death suits often involve wealthy, powerful corporations and millions of dollars. This can make a lawsuit seem overwhelming, if not insurmountable. This is why an experienced wrongful death attorney is vital. A knowledgeable attorney can approach a case without any personal attachment to the deceased. This allows them to aggressively yet dispassionately approach your case and hold responsible parties accountable.
T.J. Juneja and his team at the Wolf Law Firm especially pride themselves on their approach to wrongful death cases. He knows that nothing can ever restore the loss of human life, but he knows holding responsible people and businesses accountable can bring about closure and healing. Wolf Law Firm approaches every wrongful death case with an intense level of compassion for family members and no patience for responsible parties.
Death is difficult. It’s especially difficult when that death was someone else’s fault. Don’t suffer from loss and financial uncertainty because someone else’s negligence resulted in your loved one’s death. With our skilled wrongful death attorney, T.J. Juneja, and the Wolf Law Firm on your side, you can find a path to healing- and a road forward with our legal guidance.
If you or a loved one lost someone in Pomona, San Bernardino, or Riverside County and want to hold the right people accountable, contact an experienced attorney today at (833) 388-8888 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.