There are a number of different scenarios that can lead to a wrongful death claim, some of the most common being:
Auto Accidents
Auto accidents are the leading cause of wrongful death claims in the United States, including
car accidents, truck accidents,
DUI accidents, motorcycle accidents, and
pedestrian accidents. Those who have lost a family member in a fatal auto accident in Nashville can pursue a wrongful death claim if the other party was acting negligently at the time of the accident. For example, drivers who were driving intoxicated, speeding, or driving recklessly and caused an accident can be held liable for their careless behavior.
Medical Malpractice
One of the main causes of wrongful death claims in the state of Tennessee is medical malpractice. A doctor or healthcare provider who fails to provide adequate care, either by misdiagnosis, surgical errors, or any other flawed medical treatment, can be held accountable in a Nashville wrongful death lawsuit.
Workplace Accidents
Workplace deaths are more common in dangerous industries like construction, warehousing, manufacturing, and agriculture. However, accidents happen, and a death can happen in the workplace in almost any industry at any given time. If you have lost a loved one in a workplace accident because of malfunctioning equipment, unsafe working conditions, or another party’s negligence in any capacity, our team is available to help.
Defective Products
When a manufacturer fails to warn the public about a dangerous product, or a product malfunctions and causes harm to the consumer, the company can be held liable for damages. Common examples of defective products that lead to a wrongful death claim include airbags that fail to deploy after an accident or faulty medical devices that do not function properly.
Criminal Acts
Not all wrongful death claims stem from an accident. When another person inflicts harm upon another or intentionally commits a criminal act that results in another person’s death, they can be held liable for their actions in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Regardless of the cause, our team is here to help families pursue a wrongful death claim when their loved ones have been wrongfully killed by another person or party in Nashville. We fully believe that you should not have to suffer for the negligence, omission, or intentional acts of another person, and we can help you and your family seek justice for your loved one.
For experienced and compassionate legal representation that you can trust,
call Glenn Injury Law today and schedule your free consultation. If you and your family have been impacted by the untimely and wrongful death of a loved one in Nashville, we want to hear from you.
Who Is Able to File a Wrongful Death Claim in Nashville?
While losing a loved one is a difficult experience for everybody in the family, not every family member is eligible to pursue a wrongful death claim in Nashville. In the state of Tennessee, the right to file a wrongful death claim is reserved for immediate family members of the deceased. This means that only the closest relatives to the victim are eligible to file a claim, including:
- Spouses
- Children
- Parents
- Personal representatives or executors of the estate
Spouses
Surviving spouses of the deceased traditionally have the highest level of priority when it comes to filing a wrongful death claim in Nashville. However, only current spouses have the right to file a claim. Ex-spouses are not eligible to pursue a wrongful death claim, and the court may deny spouses the opportunity to file a claim if the couple had been separated or in the process of filing for a divorce at the time of death. Spouses will have one year to file the claim from the time of their loved one’s death.
Children
If there is no surviving spouse available to pursue a claim, then the children of the deceased will have the opportunity to do so. This includes both biological and legally adopted children, though it prohibits stepchildren from pursuing a claim. If the children were minors at the time of their parents death, then the court will generally appoint a guardian who will be responsible for helping the child or children file a claim.
Parents
In the event that the deceased did not leave behind a spouse or any surviving children, any surviving parents will be able to pursue a claim. It is always a tragedy for a parent or parents to outlive their children, though a wrongful death claim allows them the opportunity to recover damages for their grief and loss.
Executor or Personal Representative
An executor who is named in the decedent’s will can also file a wrongful death claim. In some instances, the court may appoint a qualified individual as the personal representative who will also have the ability to pursue a claim—such as in cases where a
dog bite resulted in a wrongful death.
The decedent’s next of kin may have the opportunity to pursue a claim as well. This includes siblings, aunts, and uncles of the deceased. Family members in Nashville who wish to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of their loved one must do so within one year of their death.
If you are the spouse, child, or parent of a family member who was wrongfully killed in Nashville, trust the team at Glenn Injury Law to provide you with expert legal representation that gets results. Our experience and knowledge in the courtroom allow us to help family members secure the maximum compensation available for their loved one’s death.
What Compensation Is Available in a Wrongful Death Case?
At Glenn Injury Law, we are focused on justice, not just a settlement. Many firms may try to work toward a quick settlement, but our firm is willing to go the extra mile and ensure that you and your family receive the best legal representation imaginable while recovering the maximum compensation available after your loved one’s passing.
When one person negligently or intentionally kills another, family members in Nashville will be able to seek both economic and noneconomic damages to help in their recovery process. Economic damages account for the financial losses that the victim and their family may have incurred as a result of the accident. Most often, this includes things like:
- Medical expenses: Any medical treatment that your loved one received before their passing. This could include services like ambulance rides, hospital stays, surgeries, and any other treatment that they received before their death.
- Funeral costs: Our team helps families recover the cost of their loved one’s funeral and burial expenses. We believe that families who have lost a loved one because of another person’s negligence should never be burdened with having to pay for their family member’s funeral costs.
- Loss of income: Oftentimes the victims in these accidents were the main providers of income in their households. Our attorneys can help families seek compensation for the lost financial support, benefits, retirement savings, childcare, alimony, or any other financial support that they would have received.
These financial losses can have a serious impact on Nashville families who are already dealing with the emotional impact of their family member’s death. Fortunately, the team at Glenn Injury Law can help you recover damages for the financial losses and your emotional suffering after your loved one’s death. Our team has also helped victims recover noneconomic damages after a family member’s death, including:
- Loss of partnership: For spouses who lost their husband or wife due to the negligence of another person, our firm can help recover damages for your loss of companionship and intimacy.
- Loss of parental guidance: The significance of losing a parent in a senseless accident cannot be overstated. Not only is the emotional suffering often unbearable, but the loss of parental guidance, love, and care has lifelong implications.
- Pain and suffering: For many, nothing is more painful than losing a family member. Glenn Injury Law helps those in Nashville who have lost a loved one recover compensation for the immense emotional pain and suffering that they experience after their family member’s death.
In cases where the liable party was acting particularly recklessly or negligently or intentionally caused harm, the court may award punitive damages meant to further punish the defendant and deter them from committing similar acts in the future.
By consulting with an experienced Nashville wrongful death attorney, you can greatly increase your chances of maximizing your compensation and seeking justice for your loved one. Glenn Injury Law will be able to accurately calculate the damages of your loved one’s accident and determine a fair settlement for your family’s suffering. We are also available to communicate and negotiate with pesky insurance companies who may try to offer you a low settlement after an accident.
Trust the team at Glenn Injury Law to handle your Nashville wrongful death lawsuit with compassion, professionalism, and confidence. With Glenn Injury Law, it isn’t simply about winning a case; it is about making a serious difference in our client’s lives and helping them move toward a brighter future.
How Can an Attorney Help With Your Wrongful Death Lawsuit?
A qualified Nashville wrongful death attorney can be instrumental in helping you secure fair compensation and seeking justice for your loved one’s untimely death. At Glenn Injury Law, Craig Glenn and our team of personal injury attorneys have over a decade of experience successfully representing clients in wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims, and we can make a serious impact in your case as well. Our team will stand with you throughout the entirety of your case, keeping you updated every step of the way and maintaining a clear and consistent line of communication.
Family members in Nashville only have one year from the date of their loved one’s death to file a claim and are often still grieving their loss during this time. Our law firm can help take the stress of pursuing legal action off of your shoulders and provide valuable legal assistance in a number of different ways, including:
- Evaluating the case and gathering evidence
- Determining liability in the accident
- Calculating damages
- Filing the wrongful death claim
- Representing clients in court
- Communicating and negotiating with insurance companies
Consulting with an experienced wrongful death attorney in Nashville not only ensures that you meet all of the legal deadlines, but it also greatly increases your chances of securing the maximum compensation. Glenn Injury Law can help families in Nashville recover economic damages for any medical bills, funeral expenses, loss of income, and more.
Our attorneys also recognize the profound emotional impact that losing a loved one due to another person’s careless actions can have on a family. We are also able to help family members recover noneconomic damages for their emotional suffering, loss of companionship and intimacy, loss of parental guidance, and more.
Do not hesitate to contact Glenn Injury Law for your wrongful death lawsuit in Nashville, Tennessee. Our team has over a decade of experience providing expert legal representation to Nashville families. Craig Glenn and his team compassionately handle every case with a personalized approach aimed at securing you the maximum compensation for your loss.
Call Glenn Injury Law Today for Legal Help in Your Nashville Wrongful Death Claim
If you have lost a loved one in Nashville, Tennessee, because of another person or party’s actions, Glenn Injury Law is the team that you can trust to handle your wrongful death lawsuit. With over a decade of courtroom experience handling wrongful death and various other claims, the team at Glenn Injury Law is well-prepared to offer you winning legal representation.
Family members already have a difficult enough time recovering emotionally after losing a loved one; they should not have to suffer financially as well. When families lose a family member because of another person’s negligence, whether in an auto accident, medical error,
workplace accident, or criminal act, Glenn Injury Law is ready to step in and hold the responsible party liable for their actions.