Lake Zurich Wrongful Death Attorney

Helping Families of Wrongful Death Victims in Lake County

After someone we love dies, it is normal to ask questions. We often wonder whether their death could have been prevented. When the answer to this question might be yes, it can be very painful to realize that you lost a loved one because someone else acted carelessly or dangerously. You might wonder whether the person who caused your loved one's death will ever face justice.

Thanks to attorneys who know Illinois personal injury law, it may be possible to take action against a person for causing what is known as a "wrongful death." A wrongful death is one that would not have happened if the person who caused it had acted carefully and responsibly. Of course, no lawsuit will bring back someone you have lost. However, surviving family members of the person who died can sometimes get money - known as compensation - to make up for their loss.

At Premier Illinois Injury Lawyers, we understand that the last thing you want to do while you are grieving is manage legal matters. That is why we work hard to protect our clients from further stress. We offer calm, confident legal advocacy. We take the responsibility of helping suffering survivors very seriously. We treat every case with the sensitivity and respect it deserves. And, most importantly, we get results.

What Are Common Causes of Wrongful Death?

Every case of wrongful death is unique. While it is difficult to make generalizations about these tragic events, we tend to see wrongful deaths happen most often for certain reasons. These include:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents 
• Truck accidents 
• Pedestrian accidents 
• Nursing home negligence
• Medical malpractice 
• Defective products and equipment

How Can I Prove Someone Caused a Wrongful Death? 

As with any other area of law, personal injury cases about wrongful death require proof. While your attorney will be the one who guides the investigation into your case, it can be helpful to understand how these cases work. To prove someone caused a wrongful death, a lawyer must show:

• The defendant (the person responsible for the wrongful death) owed the deceased (the person who died) something called a "duty of care" - A duty of care means that the law required the defendant to act in a reasonable way to prevent harm to the deceased. For example, drivers on the road have a duty of care to each other to follow the laws and drive safely.
• The defendant breached their duty of care - This means the defendant did not act in a reasonable way to prevent harm. For example, if a young man was texting and driving and caused a fatal car crash, he did not act in a reasonable way to prevent harm.
• The defendant's actions caused the wrongful death - If the young man in the example above was texting and ran a red light, hitting another car and killing the driver who had the right of way, the young man's actions would likely be seen as wrongfully causing the driver's death. 
• The wrongful actions of the defendant caused damages - In cases of wrongful death, this means certain people - such as the children or spouse of the person who died - suffered real harm because of the death. This can mean financial harm, like losing the income of a parent. It can also mean emotional harm, like the loss of a loving spouse. 

As you can see, the process of proving someone was wrongfully killed is neither easy nor simple. With a great lawyer, however, it is possible - and if you work with Premier Illinois Injury Lawyers, you can be sure we will do everything we can to help you.

How Can a Dollar Amount Be Assigned to a Human Life?

It can feel strange to assign a dollar amount to a loved one's death. After all, most of us would give literally anything to have a lost loved one back. However, determining the value of a case is a very important part of personal injury law. Money awarded in wrongful death cases helps bring defendants to justice and provides necessary support to survivors.

When a case goes to court, judges and juries think about many factors when deciding the value of a wrongful death case. One common approach is to calculate, to the extent possible, the financial impact of losing the deceased. This could include factors like the lifetime income they would have provided to their spouse and children. Courts can also think about the cost of a funeral, medical care the person received before passing away, and the value of destroyed property, like a car.

The non-financial suffering of survivors matters, too. The stress, grief, shock, and ongoing pain that survivors suffer can be compensated. A judge or jury will consider a fair amount of money considering the deceased's:

• Age
• Health
• Life expectancy 
• Relationship to the survivor

Contact a Lake County Wrongful Death Attorney

If you have suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, you deserve the best legal guidance as you recover from this heartbreaking time. At Premier Illinois Injury Lawyers, our personal injury lawyers are ready to assist you with all parts of your wrongful death claim. We proudly serve Lake County and Cook County, as well as Lake Zurich. Contact us at 847-721-2499 for a free consultation today.