Fatal Car Accidents

When a car crash results in death, the first emotions of the victim’s loved ones are grief and loss. However, over time, the family of the decedent may experience other problems, such as difficulty paying the mortgage because the victim no longer contributes an income, or the loss of companionship and support. If a loved one was killed in a fatal car accident in Los Angeles as a result of someone else's wrongful act or negligence, the experienced Los Angeles fatal car accident lawyers of Sharifi Firm, APC can help you seek compensation for the loss from the responsible party.

A wrongful death is one in which a person or entity wrongfully or carelessly takes another person's life. The decedent's survivors can bring a civil suit under Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60 against the person or entity that did harm to recover damages. Unlike a criminal homicide case, fault is expressed solely through monetary damages that the court orders an at-fault defendant to pay to the survivors. In California only specific survivors can file a wrongful death suit. These are: the decedent's surviving spouse and children or domestic partner, the decedent's parents or siblings, nieces and nephews, grandparents or lineal descendants, and individuals that were financially dependent upon the decedent.

The amount awarded in a wrongful death case depends on the specific circumstances, as a Los Angeles fatal car accident attorney can explain. Some damages that the estate can recover include funeral and burial expenses, medical bills, and lost income including income the decedent would have earned in the future if he or she had survived the accident. The surviving family members can recover the loss of anticipated financial support; loss of love, community, support and guidance; and the value of household services that the decedent would have contributed.

The jury will award a single sum to the group of survivors, and the group will have to decide how the award is to be split. If agreement cannot be reached, the group can ask the court to make a judgment about how the money is to be divided. A fatal car accident lawyer can assist Los Angeles residents with trying to reach a satisfactory agreement.

In a survival action, the decedent's own cause of action for damages survives his or her death and passes to the decedent's successor in interest. The damages that can be recovered are those damages the decedent suffered before death, such as medical bills. In most cases, punitive damages can only be recovered in a survival action when the decedent survived the accident for a brief period before passing away or if the decedent's property was damaged or lost before he or she died.

Fatal car accidents are emotionally devastating for a family. While monetary compensation can never fully compensate for the loss of a loved one, it can help with the financial losses associated with the death. If a family member was killed in a fatal motor vehicle collision in Los Angeles, our attorneys can bring a lawsuit to pursue the damages to which you may be entitled. Contact us at (866) 422-7222 or via our online form for a free, no-obligation consultation. We also represent clients in Rancho Cucamonga, Temecula, and San Bernardino.