The Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp represents the surviving family members of individuals who are killed by the negligence of people, products and/or companies. If you feel that your loved one's death was due to a preventable cause, you may be eligible to seek compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. To learn more, contact Reno wrongful death lawyer Matthew L. Sharp for a free evaluation of your case.

Wrongful Death Caused by Negligence

Whether or not the death of a loved one was caused by an intentional act, unintentional mistake, or by a faulty product, the heirs of the deceased are lawfully entitled to be compensated for the negligence of another person or company. This includes family of the decedent such as surviving spouses, children and, in some cases, parents.

The laws regarding disposition of the compensation vary from state to state. The decedent's Will also determines the distribution to the distributees (usually the immediate family).

All states in wrongful death situations have the following requirements:

• A human being must have died
• The death must be caused by the negligence of another
• There must be surviving family members or dependents who are injured by a loss of money as a result of the decedent's demise
• A personal representative for the decedent's estate must be appointed

Examples of Wrongful Death Claims

Many circumstances may be blamed for a wrongful death, including:

• Auto or trucking accidents caused by driver distraction such as texting or talking on the phone while driving
• A motor vehicle accident caused by driver negligence (e.g. drunk driving, not paying attention to traffic laws and signals, reckless driving)
• Car or truck accidents caused by defective parts (e.g. faulty brakes, defective tires)
• Airbags that fail to deploy during a car accident, resulting in death
• Medical mistakes that lead to a person's death (e.g. failure to diagnosis a fatal condition such as cancer, failure to properly treat a condition, administering the wrong type or dose of a medication)
• A malfunctioning children's product such as a baby's crib or stroller
• Defective medical products or devices
• Death due to negligence in the workplace
• Death during a supervised activity

When a wrongful death occurs, the surviving family members can file a lawsuit against the responsible parties, which can include one or more persons or a company such as a product manufacturer. Financial compensation can be given to pay for:

• Loss of emotional and financial support
• Loss of prospective inheritance and services
• Medical and funeral expenses

Each state has its own deadline on when a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed; this is called statute of limitations. To avoid missing the deadline, it is best to find a lawyer as soon as possible after the person has died.

Contact Reno Wrongful Death Lawyer Matthew L. Sharp

Mr. Sharp realizes that the death of a loved one is a sad, emotional event. Going through a long drawn out legal battle is probably the last thing on your mind. If someone you love died as a result of negligence, Mr. Sharp will serve as your advocate during all of the legal proceedings so you can focus on healing and moving forward with your life.

While financial compensation won't bring your loved one back, it can help ease the stress of the situation and cover the expense of medical bills, funeral costs and other financial losses.

To find out if you have a claim, schedule a free consultation today.