Nothing is more devastating than the unexpected loss of a loved one. If you lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligent or wrongful acts in Gainesville, FL, contact Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers today. An experienced Gainesville wrongful death lawyer can help your family seek the justice you deserve.
We have over 100 years of combined experience practicing law. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of families like yours.
In the wake of the unthinkable, our attorneys are here to fight for you. Your family could recover compensation for medical bills, lost financial support, and loss of your loved one’s company and support. Contact our law offices in Gainesville, Florida, at (877) 255-3652 to schedule a free consultation today with a Gainesville wrongful death attorney.
How Can Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers Help With My Family’s Wrongful Death Claim in Gainesville?
Taking legal action may not be your family’s top concern right now. Fighting for money can be overwhelming if you’re struggling with grief. Money won’t take that pain away.
Recovering compensation can, however, reduce the financial burden. When you know that someone else caused your loved one’s death, recovering compensation can also give you a sense of justice.
That said, expect to face resistance. Insurance companies will seem sympathetic–but they won’t automatically hand over a fair check. At-fault parties rarely want to admit responsibility.
When you hire Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, you’re telling the other side that you won’t walk away without a fair compensation award. Our award-winning Gainesville personal injury attorneys have earned a Perfect-10 Avvo Rating and an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell.
Hiring our Gainesville wrongful death attorneys gives you strong advocates to:
- Investigate and identify all responsible parties
- Work with leading experts to establish your case value
- Compile strong evidence to support your claim
- Defend against victim-blaming insurance tactics
- Negotiate fiercely for a full settlement
- Prepare your case for trial and fight for you in court if needed
Our Gainesville personal injury lawyers offer a free, no-obligation consultation. To learn more about your legal options and Florida’s wrongful death laws, call us today.
What is Wrongful Death in Florida?
Florida’s Wrongful Death Act defines wrongful death as any death caused by the “wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty of any person”.
In wrongful death cases, the victim would have been entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit had they lived. Instead, their right to seek compensation is transferred to survivors. Wrongful death cases are handled in civil court. That’s true even if criminal charges are also pending.
Wrongful death claims can involve any number of scenarios, including situations where someone dies because:
- A negligent driver causes a car accident
- Someone has intentionally harmed them
- A doctor makes a critical mistake during surgery
If you’re wondering whether you have a valid wrongful death case, call our personal injury lawyers in Gainesville today. We’ll evaluate your case for free and help you understand your legal options.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Florida?
The victim’s personal representative will formally file the lawsuit. Normally, the personal representative is a family member or trusted friend or advisor.
When a case is successful, the compensation is distributed to the victim’s survivors, including:
- A surviving spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Blood relatives and adopted siblings who depended on the victim for financial support
Consult an attorney quickly if you’re considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit. Your lawyer can start building your case while you’re focused on your family’s well-being.
How Common Are Deadly Accidents in Florida?
Fatal accidents are far too common in Florida.
In 2023 alone, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) reported:
- 3,399 traffic fatalities
- 789 pedestrian fatalities
- 614 motorcycle fatalities
- 228 bicycle fatalities
In 2022, 307 fatal workplace injuries were reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What Is My Gainesville Wrongful Death Case Worth?
Your case value depends on multiple factors, such as:
- The financial support your loved one provided
- Your loved one’s age
- Your loved one’s potential future earning capacity
- Medical expenses and other costs incurred due to the injury and death
- The ages and identities of surviving dependents, including children
- The types of household services your loved one provided
- The circumstances of the fatal injury
- The strength of the evidence
Your choice of attorney also matters. It’s critical to choose an attorney with experience winning at trial. Having an experienced attorney in your corner will motivate the insurance company to negotiate for a meaningful settlement.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Survivors in a Wrongful Death Case in Gainesville?
Florida law outlines the specific damages that are available in a wrongful death case.
Examples of the types of damages that your family may be entitled to recover include:
- Loss of financial support
- Loss of the value of household services provided by the decedent
- Loss of parental guidance and instruction
- Loss of a spouse’s companionship and protection or loss of consortium
- Mental pain and suffering
- Medical expenses incurred between the date of injury and the date of death
- Funeral expenses and burial costs
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of the victim’s earnings from the date of injury to the date of death
Many of these damages can be difficult to quantify. After all, how do you really put a dollar value on the loss of life? Our attorneys often enlist experts who can testify about various elements of your case. We’ll also work closely with your family to get a strong understanding of how this loss has changed your lives.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Florida?
Your family is already dealing with an incredible amount of stress. Worrying about how to pay for legal representation should be the last thing you have to deal with.
At Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we work on a contingency fee basis. Like most personal injury law firms, we don’t charge upfront legal fees. Our attorneys’ fees are deducted from your final compensation award.
We’ll help you understand what to expect before you hire us. During your free consultation, we can give you an estimate of what it might cost to take legal action.
How Can Florida Shared Fault Laws Impact My Family’s Right to Compensation?
Fatal accident victims are often blamed for their own injuries. While it may seem completely unfair, it’s a common insurance tactic. If successful, allegations of shared fault will impact your compensation.
Under Florida’s modified comparative negligence law, victims lose their right to recover compensation if they’re more than 50% responsible for an accident. Sharing less fault means your compensation will be reduced proportionately.
What Causes Most Deadly Accidents in Gainesville?
Fatal accidents happen in many different ways. Some, however, are more common than others.
At Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we often represent clients in cases involving:
- Motor vehicle accidents, including motorcycle wrecks and accidents involving large trucks
- Dangerous property conditions
- Negligent security
- Slip and fall accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Boating accidents
- Workplace accidents, including construction site accidents
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products, including dangerous drugs
- Poisoning
- Criminal acts of violence
- Nursing home abuse and neglect
Most wrongful death claims involve accidental deaths. However, we also handle cases involving intentional wrongdoing.
How Do I Prove My Family Deserves Compensation After a Fatal Accident in Florida?
Like personal injury cases, wrongful death cases hinge on the concept of liability. To recover compensation, you must prove that someone else was legally responsible for your loved one’s death.
That responsible party will depend on the circumstances and could include:
- Negligent drivers
- Manufacturers of defective products
- Employers of negligent parties
- Medical providers
- Criminal offenders
- Property owners
Most often, you’ll have to prove negligence to recover damages for wrongful death. Negligence means that someone had a legal duty of care and breached that duty. If the breach of duty or careless act resulted in death, your family can seek damages from the at-fault party.
Various types of evidence can be used to prove your case, including:
- Medical records
- Testimony from expert witnesses
- Eyewitnesses to an accident
- Video footage
- Photos of an accident scene
- Police or accident reports
- Employment records
- Testimony about the losses your family has experienced
Our lawyers are prepared to launch a complete investigation into the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death. You can trust that we’ll locate any evidence that can be used to prove you deserve compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit After a Fatal Accident in Florida?
You have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida. The two-year statute of limitations starts to run on the date of your loved one’s death. After two years pass, you lose your right to sue for damages.
Contact a Trusted Gainesville Wrongful Death Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Do you have questions about your legal options following the loss of a loved one? An experienced Gainesville wrongful death lawyer can help. Contact our team at Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers to arrange your family’s free consultation today in Gainesville, FL.
We know that you’re dealing with an unbearable loss. Let us help you navigate the tough times ahead. Our law firm will work tirelessly to not only recover compensation on your behalf, but maximize your payout. While we fight insurance companies and at-fault parties, you can take the time to come to terms with your loss.
We work on contingency, which means that you pay us absolutely nothing unless and until we win your case. If we negotiate a settlement or win a verdict at trial, our team recovers a percentage of your net award. It’s that simple. There’s absolutely no risk in getting our team in your corner for this fight – so call to arrange a free consultation with us today.
Gainesville Wrongful Death Testimonial
Everyone at the Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers are such caring and helpful people. I am sure that any question or concern I may have would be responded to quickly and efficiently. Great people, great law firm.”
Marquis Perreault
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Highly Rated Funeral Services:
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- Signature Memorial Funeral & Cremation Services – 3401 SE Hawthorne Rd, Gainesville, FL 32641
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Our personal injury law firm in Gainesville, FL also provides:
- Bicycle Accident Lawyers in Gainesville, FL
- Brain Injury Attorneys in Gainesville, FL
- Car Accident Attorneys in Gainesville, FL
- Catastrophic Injury Lawyers in Gainesville, FL
- Lyft Accident Lawyer in Gainesville, FL
- Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Gainesville, FL
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyers in Gainesville, FL
- Pedestrian Accident Attorneys in Gainesville, FL
- Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers in Gainesville, FL
- Truck Accident Lawyer in Gainesville, FL
- Uber Accident Attorney in Gainesville, FL
Gainesville Wrongful Death Blog Posts
- Do I Have a Wrongful Death Case? 3 Common Examples
- Recovering for a Wrongful Death of a Loved One in Florida
- Wrongful Death: A Complete FAQ (Part 1 of 3)
- Wrongful Death: A Complete FAQ (Part 2 of 3)
- Wrongful Death: A Complete FAQ (Part 3 of 3)
Additional Gainesville Wrongul Death Resources
- Wrongful Death Lawsuits in Florida – NOLO
- Wrongul Death Accidents – The Florida Bar
- City of Gainesville Government Official Site
- Wrongful Death 2023 Florida Statutes
Visit our Gainesville, FL Personal Injury Law Office
Allen Law Accident & Injury Lawyers
2550 SW 76 St #150
Gainesville, FL 32608
(877) 255-3652
(352) 331-6789
Open 24/7