Tennessee Wrongful Death Attorneys
If a loved one of yours has been lost as a result of medical malpractice or other negligent practices, our Tennessee wrongful death attorneys can assist you in filing a wrongful death lawsuit. The purpose of a wrongful death lawsuit is to raise the surviving family members of the victim up to the same financial position they would be in if the wrongful death victim had survived.
Through the filing of a lawsuit, our Tennessee attorneys can help you get compensation for medical and funeral expenses, pain and suffering, as well as other financial losses you suffered following an unexpected loss.
In the state of Tennessee, surviving family members have one year after the victim’s death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This makes it important that you get in touch with an attorney as soon as you can.
What Constitutes Wrongful Death?
Tennessee Code Title 20, Chapter 5, 20-5-113 states:
“Where a person’s death is caused by the wrongful act, fault or omission of another and suit is brought for damages, the party suing shall, if entitled to damages, have the right to recover for the mental and physical suffering, loss of time and necessary expenses resulting to the deceased from personal injuries”.
In other words, when someone loses their life as a result of the negligent, reckless, or intentional behavior of another person or company, the surviving family members of the victim can file a lawsuit for compensation covering the losses they have been burdened with because of the untimely death.
Negligence – What is it?
When someone doesn’t live up to their responsibility of exercising care, and that failure leads to another person’s injury or death, the action or lack of action is referred to as negligence. As an example, say someone causes a fatal accident because they were speeding. In this case, the driver who was driving above the speed limit acted negligently and therefore can be held liable in court for damages caused. The victim’s surviving family members can also file a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that the driver who caused the crash owes them damages associated with that untimely and unnecessary death.
Hiring an Attorney and Filing a Claim
If you suspect that the death of your loved one was due to negligence on behalf of another person, an attorney will go over the facts of your case and figure out whether or not you have grounds to file a lawsuit. This process may involve a review of medical records and police reports to see if the death was in fact caused by a wrongful act. If you do file a lawsuit, your attorney will file a legal document known as a “complaint”. This document sets forth the specific details of your case.
Tennessee law stipulates that the spouse, child, or parent of a victim can file a wrongful death claim.
If your family member has been lost to someone else’s wrongful act, our Tennessee wrongful death attorneys can help you through this tough and trying time. Contact us today.