Wellington Wrongful Death Attorneys

Death may be inevitable, but that does not make losing a loved one any easier. When someone passes in an accident scenario that was entirely preventable, it can be especially hard to cope with the loss.

Sadly, unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death in this country. In 2016, for example, the only conditions that claimed more lives were heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory disease.

If your loved one died from unintentional injuries, you may be able to hold the liable party financially accountable. To determine if you have grounds for a wrongful death claim in Florida, turn to Donaldson & Weston.

Our Wellington wrongful death lawyers will evaluate the circumstances of the fatal accident and advise you on the best way to proceed. Call 561-299-3999 to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our compassionate accident attorneys.

There is always a lot to do following the loss of a loved one, especially if the death was unanticipated. In order to protect your family’s financial security, though, it is wise to prioritize calling a wrongful death attorney.

From funeral expenses to lost income, the damages are going to add up fast, and the sooner you start building a claim, the sooner you may be able to recover the payout you deserve. Hiring a lawyer to start the investigation immediately will also ensure your case includes any time-sensitive evidence—and any documents that are vulnerable to being altered or destroyed.

Additionally, surviving family members only have a limited amount of time in which to file a formal suit following a wrongful death. If you postpone taking legal action for too long and the statute of limitations expires, your case will most likely be dismissed.

There are several exceptions to the statute of limitations for wrongful death lawsuits, but in general, plaintiffs in the state of Florida have two years to file. This deadline also applies to cases against government entities; however, in such scenarios, the plaintiff must first notify the government entity in writing and then wait 180 days for them to complete an investigation before bringing the suit.

Even though time is of the essence when hiring an attorney after a catastrophic accident, it is essential to research your options before selecting a firm. Here are just a few qualities worth valuing in your wrongful death lawyer:

• Honesty;


• Integrity;


• Relevant experience;


• Accessibility;


• A history of satisfied clients;


• A track record of securing sizable settlements;


• Compassion;


• Professionalism; and


• Trial experience.

If your loved one died due to another person’s negligence or criminal misconduct, you shouldn’t have to face the possibility of falling into debt as a result. Unfortunately, even if the liable party had insurance, the claims adjuster will be looking for reasons to reduce the value of your claim or deny it outright. It’s important that you’re careful about what you say and do during the proceedings so your case has the best possible chance of resulting in a fair settlement.

A single misguided statement or social media post could be all it takes to cause a delay or dispute. A Wellington wrongful death attorney from Donaldson & Weston can protect your interests by helping you avoid critical mistakes such as:

• Giving a Recorded Statement: You may already know not to admit fault after a car accident, but if a member of your family has died through the fault of another person, you might assume that your statements will have no bearing on the outcome of your claim. However, there are all sorts of ways the statements of a surviving loved one might be used to dispute liability or damages. Ultimately, you have to assume that any question asked to you by the insurance company is intended to elicit a response that can be used to challenge your claim. The best way to avoid giving a harmful statement is to let your Wellington wrongful death lawyer handle this correspondence on your behalf.


• Writing Sensitive Information on Social Media: If you’re certain that another person caused your loved one’s death, you might think there’s no way a social media post about the incident could harm your claim. But you never know how social media content might be misrepresented. For example, if you write about the circumstances that led to the death and those statements indicate the deceased might have been negligent, the insurer may argue that the award of damages should be reduced by the deceased’s percentage of fault. This is just one of many examples of how a social media post could threaten a wrongful death case. To protect your claim, set your profiles to “private,” and avoid mentioning anything about the accident or case online.


• Delaying the Investigation: If a settlement cannot be reached, filing a lawsuit may be your only option for pursuing compensation from the liable party. However, there are deadlines for filing wrongful death lawsuits in the state of Florida. If you attempt to file suit after the statute of limitations has passed, your case will almost certainly be dismissed. Because it can take several months to investigate a wrongful death and prepare for settlement negotiations, it’s important that you initiate the proceedings right away. Some of the most valuable evidence to support your claim might be time-sensitive. Getting a lawyer involved immediately will increase the chances that such evidence can be gathered, and it will ensure you have a skilled legal advocate to help you avoid mistakes from day one. Simply put, the sooner you hire a Wellington wrongful death attorney and the more time he or she has to build your claim, the better.