Losing a loved one unexpectedly can be devastating. What makes the situation more tragic is if your loved one’s death was due to the negligent actions of another person. If this applies to you, you may be entitled to wrongful death benefits. Follow along to learn if you are qualified to bring forward a wrongful death claim and how one of the experienced Howard County wrongful death attorneys at Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates can help you proceed during this difficult time.
Am I eligible to file a wrongful death claim in the state of Maryland?
According to Maryland law, only specific individuals may bring forward a wrongful death claim. This claim must be filed by a specific hierarchy of surviving beneficiaries that were impacted by the loss. Specifically, this hierarchy is surviving spouse, children, and parents, respectively. However, if there are no such relatives, anyone who is related to the decedent by blood or marriage may sue.
What damages can I recover in a wrongful death claim?
You can build a strong wrongful death claim if you collect sufficient evidence that points to the following:
- Your loved one lost their life due to another party’s negligence.
- Your loved one lost their life under circumstances wherein they would have been entitled to financial compensation had they not lost their life.
- You, as the decedent’s relative, suffered damages due to their wrongful death.
And while compensation cannot fill the void left behind by the loss of your loved one, it can reduce the financial burdens that a death can have. With enough evidence, you should be able to recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Examples are as follows:
- Economic damages:
- The cost of the funeral and burial.
- The cost of medical bills in your loved one’s final days.
- The cost of lost wages that your loved one would have provided to your family.
- Non-economic damages:
- The loss of society, companionship, comfort, protection, marital care, parental care, filial care, attention, advice, counsel, training, guidance, or education where applicable.
- Emotional pain and suffering.
- Mental anguish.
- The loss of enjoyment of life.
What is the statute of limitations for wrongful death claims in the state of Maryland?
Nonetheless, a lawsuit may be the only way in which you hold the at-fault party accountable. With that being said, you must file your wrongful death claim before Maryland’s statute of limitations of three years from the date of your loved one’s death. And if your loved one passed in a municipality in Maryland, you will have even less time to file a Notice of Claim.
To avoid losing out on recovering damages, you must retain the services of a skilled Howard County personal injury attorney as soon as you possibly can.
Contact Our Howard County, Maryland Firm
If you or a family member has sustained severe injuries in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, contact Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates today.
