When a death is expected, the onset of grief and loss are feelings you know you will face. However, when the death of a loved one is unexpected and traumatic, feelings of grief, shock, and disbelief are often much more pronounced.
Seeking legal advice may be the last thing on your mind, but if someone you love has been killed due to another person’s negligence, reaching a Hamilton wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible is vital. If you’ve lost a loved one because someone was careless, we can help get the justice you deserve. While nothing makes up for the loss of a loved one, a wrongful death lawsuit is often the only way to ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable, and that you and your family have the financial resources to care and provide for yourselves (and each other) in your loved one’s absence.
We’re located in Hamilton, Ontario but the legal team from Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers serves clients all over Ontario. We understand what you are going through, and our Hamilton wrongful death lawyers consider it our responsibility to ensure that you and your family are justly compensated for your loss.
In Ontario, spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings are able to make a wrongful death claim in Ontario
In Ontario you are entitled to claim damages for the loss of care, guidance and companionship, funeral expenses, loss of housekeeping expenses, loss of inheritance, loss of shared family income, future care, attendance care, future health expenses, loss of pension and benefits and well as past and future direct pecuniary losses.
If your loved one suffered you can sue for the pain and suffering he or she endured before death.
Yes, in Ontario, dependent family members are entitled to compensation for their losses of family income.
Yes, family members are entitled to bring a claim for economic and non-economic damages in Ontario if their loved one was killed as a result of the careless or negligence of another person.
The no-fault benefits available in a wrongful death matter are 1) a spousal benefit – which is a payment to the deceased’s spouse in the amount of $25,000 (or $50,000 if optional coverage was purchased) 2) a dependent benefit is payable to each of the deceased’s dependents in the amount of $10,000 (or $20,000 if optional coverage was purchased) and a funeral benefits, which are payable for funeral expenses up to $6,000 (or $8,000 if optional coverage was purchased).
A death is considered wrongful when it occurs due to the fault or negligence of another person, company or entity. Damages are assessed by reference to loss with a focus on what the claimants’ position would have been but for the death and to restore that position so far as possible.
Yes. unmarried life-partners can claim damages. For a spouse to bring an FLA claim, sections 1 and 29 of the FLA combine to allow claims in any of the following situations, where the FLA claimant:
Was married to the injured or deceased person;
Was in a marriage that was voidable or void but entered into in good faith;
Lived with the injured or deceased person for three years or more;
Had a child with the plaintiff or
Was in a relationship of some permanence with the injured or deceased person.
Section 61(2)(e) of the FLA states that a family member is entitled to receive an amount to compensate for the loss of “guidance, care and companionship” that the claimant might reasonably have expected to receive from the injured or deceased person if the injury or death did not occur. These claims are fact specific and require examination and attention to detail. The phrase “loss of guidance, care and companionship” is not defined in the Act. Thornborrow v. MacKinnon, 1981 CarswellOnt 574 (Ont. H.C.) is the case which provides guidelines on how the terms are defined.
In a wrongful death claim, claimants may also be entitled to compensation for their loss of the deceased’s income based upon their dependency on the deceased. This claim is based on the loss of shared family income. The shared family income is the portion of the deceased’s income that would have been spent on the family member. Calculation of shared family income in dependency claims is complicated, and best left to an economist and actuary. The rate of dependency that the FLA claimants had on the deceased will be calculated. The rate will be considered along with positive and negative factors that could have impacted the deceased’s income and the extent to which the claimants would have been defendant.
The future loss of shared family income encompasses what the deceased would have spent out of revenue in the post-trial phase during a natural life-span on the dependents’ cost of homemaking of a family including not only their basic necessities but also amenities and enjoyments of life, taking into account for the relevant period of loss. The decedent’s revenue includes potential income from all sources including pre and post retirement earning periods.
The future loss of wealth in a wrongful death case covers all capital assets which dependents would have derived from the deceased but for the death. Usually this claim in effect represents loss of inheritance, but may also include assets which would have been obtained during a deceased’s lifetime.
The loss of an inheritance is awarded as damages in fatal accident claims where the claimant is able to establish the deceased would have accumulated assets that would have entered the estate and that therefore the deceased’s premature death resulted in a decreased inheritance.
Our Hamilton, Ontario wrongful death lawyers can help with the following areas of fatality law:
In Ontario wrongful death cases, certain family members of victims who died have the right to seek compensation for their losses. The Family Law Act specifically enumerates and defines the family members that can bring an action for the loss of care, guidance and companionship, as well as pecuniary loss resulting from the injury or death. The legislation permits spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings to make a claim. A deceased person’s same sex partner may also be able to make a claim in Ontario.
In Ontario and for the purposes of a wrongful death case, a spouse is defined as two people that are married to each other or that have been living with each other continuously for three years – or if they are the natural or adoptive parent of a child. Dependent kids could also be kids from a previous marriage who is receiving child support, paid by the car accident victim.
Looking for an Ontario wrongful death lawyer while you are grieving may seem premature or even inconsiderate – but remember not all people mourn the loss of their loved one the same way, and some people will take longer than others to get back to start getting back to normal.
We understand that families are often overwhelmed and emotionally, they may feel like they might be in an insurmountable place in their lives. What is important, however, is that it’s still very important to at least talk to a wrongful death lawyer to check and see if you have a valid case.
We would recommend that you interview several lawyers and retain a lawyer or law firm that you feel most comfortable talking with. You will meet some lawyers that smile, and some that don’t. You will meet some lawyers that understand your situation, and some which you feel that simply do not. You will meet some lawyers that feel your pain and are passionate, and some that simply recite the law to you from across the table. You will meet some lawyers that you feel that you could pick up the phone, call and talk to, and others that you will not.
Our lawyers represent the families of fatality victims province-wide. Matt Lalande is a wrongful death lawyer that has been helping surviving family members and loved ones since 2003 and understands that losing a loved one, unnaturally and unexpectedly, is always a traumatic experience regardless of the cause.
Remember this, a wrongful death car accident case is a very long process – and it’s important that you do not feel intimidated by the person you work with. You need a lawyer to make you feel like you are part of the team. It’s important that everyone works together and everyone has a connection, from boardroom to Courtroom.
In Ontario, certain family members have the right to compensation. The Family Law Act allow specifically enumerates and defines the family members that can bring an action for the loss of care, guidance and companionship, as well as pecuniary loss resulting from the injury or death. The legislation permits spouses, children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, and siblings to make a claim. A deceased person’s same sex partner may also be able to make a claim in Ontario.
In Ontario and for the purposes of a wrongful death case, a spouse is defined as two people that are married to each other or that have been living with each other continuously for three years – or if they are the natural or adoptive parent of a child. Dependent kids could also be kids from a previous marriage who is receiving child support, paid by the car accident victim.
After your loved one has died, you are faced with a choice of the best way to obtain the compensation that your family needs. Many families first opt to try to negotiate with the responsible party’s insurance company to obtain a settlement check. This is usually the quickest way to get compensation, but it comes with its drawbacks.
Insurance companies do not care about your family’s financial situation, nor do they feel the need to make up for the wrongs their policyholders committed. For these companies, it is all a matter of dollars and cents. The fewer of them that they spend, the better off they are.
This is why you need a lawyer who has experience in dealing with these companies and knows how to negotiate with them. These companies have a time-honored way of doing business, with an arsenal of weapons they use against you to save money. Your lawyer needs to be wise to their tricks and ready to fight for you.
You can expect that settling your claim with the insurance company will take some time. The claims process is one big negotiation where you need to insist on what you legally deserve. In the end, there is plenty of give-and-take after the insurance company likely sends several very low settlement offers your way. Many cases will eventually result in a settlement agreement. However, your lawyer may first need to put pressure on the insurance company.
At some point, your lawyer may give you advice that you need to file a lawsuit against the defendant in court. You may even do this right after the wrongful death as a way to begin the legal process. You have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit, and some lawyers will recommend that you not wait. The insurance company may still contact you to discuss a settlement after your lawyer files your case. There is nothing that says that your case has to go to trial.
It takes experience and expertise to deal with an insurance company. These businesses have been operating for decades and centuries under the same principle; loyalty first to their shareholders. However, they are also rational businesses. If they know that they will have to pay much more in a lawsuit, they will begin to budge in settlement negotiations. First, they must try to see whether you would accept less. Hiring a lawyer reduces the risk that you will receive a shortchanged settlement agreement because you do not know what your case is worth.
Always make sure that you understand exactly what you deserve before you sign anything. You may choose to settle a case because it gets you money quicker, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, you should do this with a full understanding of your legal rights.
As Hamilton wrongful death lawyers, our goal is to not only obtain compensation on your behalf for your pain and loss, but also to help financially protect your children and family by making sure there is enough money in place to continue funding shared family expenses, pay the mortgage, put food on the table, and pay for kids’ activities. The untimely loss of your loved one shouldn’t mean you can’t afford vehicle payments, tuition, or any other type of shared expense.
Our clients should not have to worry about who’s going to pay the mortgage and how they’re going to cover their bills. We worry so you don’t have to.
In Ontario, surviving eligible family members are entitled to make a claim or sue because of the injury or death of another family member, in particular, the spouse, children, grandparents, parents, siblings, and grandchildren are able to sue for damages. Damages in Ontario wrongful death cases are typically comprised of:
(a) actual expenses reasonably incurred for the benefit of the person killed;
(b) actual funeral expenses reasonably incurred;
(d) loss of household and handyman services that would have been provided by the deceased;
(e) loss of shared family income – income that the deceased would have contributed to the survivors or family unit;
(f) loss of inheritance;
(g) an amount to compensate for the loss of guidance, care and companionship that the claimant might reasonably have expected to receive from the person if the injury or death had not occurred;
(h) past and future wage loss of the survivor (FLA Claimants);
(i) future care, attendant care or rehabilitation costs for the FLA Claimants;
(j) loss of pension and benefits that the survivor might have provided to the family (drug and dental);
(k) past and future expenses;
(l) past and future direct pecuniary losses of the FLA claimant (i.e. pension reduction, loss of benefits)
(m) management fees for lump sum awards for pecuniary loss;
(n) gross up to offset the effects of income tax on awards for future loss.
In Ontario, family members are entitled to bring claims for economic and non-economic damages in a wrongful death. Below is a summary of both economic and non-economic damages:
Economic damages is something your lawyer might call pecuniary compensation. This typically refers to the loss of money as a result of injury. Pecuniary damage in the context of wrongful death, may include loss of potential earnings – meaning the potential earnings that your loved one would’ve made and contributed into the family.
It’s important to understand that the basis of any wrongful death lawsuit is to put family members in the same financial position that they would have been in, had their loved one not been killed. In the case of wrongful death compensation, it’s necessary to measure the financial loss suffered by all surviving dependents.
Typically, compensation such as the loss of income is limited to the spouse and kids of the person killed in a car accident. The financial loss is normally calculated with reference to the income that your loved one would’ve made, after deducting income tax and the amount that he or she would’ve personally consumed, had he or she lived.
In other words, the focus is to allow you and your loved ones to maintain the same quality of life, from a financial perspective, as would have been maintained had your loved one not been killed.
Non-economic damages – there is no actual definition for wrongful death compensation in Ontario. Instead, family members that are considered dependents, are eligible to recover compensation for the loss of guidance, care and companionship that they would have received had their loved one not been killed in a car accident. Typically, this type of compensation is and will be assessed by a judge or jury, rather than statute.
The loss of care guiding companionship is hard to quantify. Typically for a spouse there would be a loss of companionship. For a child, Courts would assume there is a loss of guidance and care. Judges and Juries typically try and do their best to properly compensate a family who has lost a loved one in a car accident. In fact quantifying the loss of your loved one’s life in terms of money doesn’t really make sense, but it’s the only remedy which a court has available to it in the circumstances. Calculating compensation and wrongful death cases is not an easy thing because there is no amount of money the can ever replace a loved one’s life, or the contribution that he or she makes to the people around him or her. Emotional bonds cannot be calculated in terms of dollars and cents.
What’s important to understand is, despite how they feel, judges and juries are not entitled to award millions of dollars in compensation for the loss of care guidance and companionship. They must follow a range consistent with compensation previously made by other judges in other cases. It’s important to talk to the lawyers that you interview about this. Experienced car accident fatality lawyers will be able to give you a range of compensation in this regard.
Factors in assessing non-economic damages – in assessing damages for the loss of care guidance and companionship for all family members and dependence, courts typically follow comments in cases previously made by other judges in other cases. For example several factors that have been examined by judges in awarding compensation and wrongful death cases are:
Your income loss – in addition to the loss of your loved ones income into the family, the living spouse might have suffered a personal loss of income due to the psychological grief he or she suffered as a result of the death of the family member.
Loss of benefits – if your loved one had medical dental and drug coverage benefits, you may be able to claim these losses as a pecuniary losses.
General expenses – dependents may advance claims for expenses as pecuniary losses. Recording of all such expenses including funeral expenses, parking, meals, travel or any other expenses incurred as a result of the death of your loved one should be kept and provided as a part of your losses.
Rehabilitation or attendant care services: you or your surviving family members may require counseling services and other rehabilitation type services to help move on through the grieving process. Some surviving dependents have required lifelong psychological care. You and your loved ones may be entitled to future care costs if those costs are not provided for in the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule.
Household and Childcare Services – you or your surviving family members may be able to claim household and childcare services. Spouses and children are entitled to be compensated for the value of the loss of household services provided to them by the deceased family member. Children also must be compensated for the value of loss childcare services that would’ve been provided by the decease, had he or she survived. These awards are typically not dependent upon the likelihood of replacement costs being incurred. Rather the awards are an attempt to monetize the value of the deceased contribution to the household.
Loss of inheritance – in certain situations, dependents may advance a claim for loss of inheritance. In other words, if not for the deceased premature death, the accident victim would have built up a larger estate that would’ve been available to beneficiaries, and therefore the beneficiaries would’ve been deprived of the benefit of the increase in the estate.
Management fees — Entitlement of a management fee is dependent on two factors: (1) the sophistication of a claimant and (2) the necessity for a manager to achieve a certain rate of return and ensure the lump sum award is not depleted too quickly.
Yes. In Ontario, the Trustee Act generally governs survival actions by estates, which cover the deceased’s losses that occur before death. Section 38(1) of the Trustee Act provides that the executor or administrator of any deceased person can sue for the injuries in the same manner and with the same rights and remedies as the deceased would, if living, have been entitled to do. The compensation, when recovered for the victim’s family, shall normally form part of the personal estate of the deceased. The Trustee Act in Ontario allows an estate’s executor to maintain a lawsuit on behalf of a deceased person – however, the executor may not pursue compensation for “death or for the loss of expectation of life” – but rather, for the suffering that the deceased endured.
It’s important that you speak to one of our Hamilton wrongful death lawyer for more information on the Trustee Act and how it may apply to your case.
What happens if the breadwinner of the family passes away unexpectedly? Who will help pay the mortgage, the bills, tuition, hockey, dancing, etc.? If the loved one who died was working at the time of death, and it can be shown that he or she would have continued to earn income in the future, then the survivors and family members may claim a loss to compensate them for a portion of the lost income.
This is what is called a “dependency” claim. It is calculated based on the net income your loved one would have contributed to your family members and the household. As experienced wrongful death lawyers in Hamilton, we certainly know how to have the value of the dependency claim properly assessed in order to help protect your family’s financial future.
It would be unfair for surviving family members to suffer financially because their loved one was taken away unexpectedly by someone else’s negligence. A wrongful death lawyer from our firm will seek justice and nothing less.
In Ontario, the loss of a spouse’s pension or benefits can certainly be quantified. In some cases, a person’s death may end medical, dental, and drug coverage benefits for a survivor. These benefits can be claimed without any type of dependency reduction.
Similarly, the loss of pension is the loss of income which derives from a contractual agreement. A surviving spouse certainly has a claim to a deceased’s pension income. This is a direct financial loss for income he or she otherwise would have received directly if not for the death of a spouse.
We understand that a legal bill is the last thing you need after losing a loved one. We also understand that you may be hesitant to contact a Hamilton wrongful death lawyer because it may cost too much.
At our firm, we never charge up-front fees to meet and talk about what rights you might have in your wrongful death case. Our Hamilton wrongful death lawyers are happy to spend as much time with you as you need—with absolutely no obligation. In fact, we encourage you to meet several lawyers to find the best fit for your family.
Secondly, if you decide to retain Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers, we will never ask you for money up front. There are no fees or expenses paid unless we win your claim. When we accept a wrongful death case in Hamilton, we pursue it with the dedication and devotion that your family deserves.
We are happy to advance the entire cost of handling your lawsuit, only recovering our fees upon the successful resolution of your case. Our legal fees and how you are charged will be fully laid out for you in an easy-to-read agreement so you and your family understand exactly how we are reimbursed at the end of your case.
Wrongful death occurs in a situation when an individual has succumbed to life-threatening injuries that are caused by another individual’s negligent actions or mistakes. There are many common types of wrongful death claims that we have experienced as Hamilton wrongful death lawyers.
Motor vehicle accidents – Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of wrongful death, especially from individuals who are hit by vehicles traveling at high speeds, such as on highways. These accidents may include T-bone accidents, head on collisions, rear end collisions, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, and sideswipe collisions. The force of a car accident can strike an individual unexpectedly, causing jerk movements that lead to spinal cord injuries, hyperextension in the neck, and brain injuries, all of which ultimately can cause death. Additionally, individuals who experience rollover accidents may become trapped in the vehicle and crushed under the weight of the car. Statistics on car accident related wrongful death cases can be found here.
Car Accident Wrongful Death – Car accident wrongful death in Ontario is when a fatality is caused due to the negligence or carelessness of an at-fault driver. Whether it was running a red light, speed racing, not obeying a stop sign, using a cell phone, being distracted – an individual can be held responsible for the death of another if that individual’s conduct caused his or her death.
The driver will not pay your compensation personally. The negligent driver’s automobile liability insurance will cover claims made up to policy limits, which is typically $1 million- $2 million in Ontario. Compensation can never bring your loved one back and no award of damages can replace the love and care that you received, but compensation is a remedy that could help you adjust financially and replace financial support that your loved one would have contributed into the family. If you depended on your loved one to help pay for the mortgage, car payments, hockey, dance lessons, insurance, summer camps, food, utilities etc. then you should not be deprived of these family requirements and necessities that you have been used to, because a negligent driver killed your spouse.
If a person’s wrongful or careless conduct has caused the death of your loved one in a car accident, it’s important that you seek legal advice early on. We understand that you have been grieving extensively – but it’s also important that you help protect your family’s financial future, sooner rather than later. By hiring our lawyers, you can assure that the person that caused your loved one’s death will be held financially responsible for his or her negligent conduct.
Motorcycle accident wrongful death – Individuals riding motorcycles are at significant risk for motorcycle accidents, particularly those involving collisions with other vehicles. Motorcyclists are vulnerable to the sheer force of a vehicle and are often not seen in the blind spots of other drivers. These types of collisions can result in fatalities and severe, life-changing injuries. In Ontario, injury to the head and neck has been reported as one of the leading causes of death in fatal motorcycle accidents – up to 56%. Skull and neck fractures account for a portion of un-survivable injuries seen in motorcycle crash victims. Chest and abdominal injuries are also very commonly seen in fatal motorcycle accidents, as well as injuries to the extremities, spine and the pelvis have also been reported in fatally injured victims of motorcycle accidents.
Bicycle and cycling wrongful death – Bicycling is associated with many health benefits, but also with the risk of injury and death. An individual riding a bicycle is not protected by the walls of a vehicle as is an individual within that car, and ultimately many individuals who are struck by vehicles riding a bicycle can be killed. Many bicycle accidents happen because cars do not see individuals or they are driving while distracted. Texting and driving is more likely than not a contributing factor in rising bicycle fatalities. Other causes of wrongful death and bicycle fatalities are:
Pedestrian wrongful death – As with individuals on their bicycles, individuals who are pedestrians who are struck by motor vehicles are not protected against the sheer force of a vehicle weighing thousands of tons. Pedestrian accidents could occur as individuals are crossing the street, walking on streets that do not have proper sidewalks, or while they are walking through parking lots. Fatalities are a significant risk for pedestrians and this can lead to tragic circumstances for those involved.
Defective product causing wrongful death – In some cases, defective or unsafe products that enter the marketplace can pose serious and fatal risks to the consumers. Defects could occur in the product’s ingredients, packaging, or even marketing. Manufacturers that have provided defective or unsafe products on the market to consumers can be held liable when a consumer has died as a direct result of the issues with the product.
Assault and Battery wrongful death – it is not uncommon for violent assaults to lead to wrongful death. When someone intentionally attempts or causes harm to another, by gunshot, shooting, stabbing or physical assault – the estate and loved ones of the deceased may file suit for wrongful death and seek compensation for the lost of their loved one.
Truck Accidents and Wrongful Death – Truck accidents are a problem across Canada. Almost 2,000 Canadians die each year in accidents with heavy trucks, and the numbers are increasing. As fewer Canadians shop at stores and more make purchases online, the truck traffic throughout the country is increasing.
More trucks on the road mean more risks to drivers and their passengers. Both Canadian and American trucks clog roads in Ontario. These days, truck drivers’ habits have become even more dangerous, as they are under pressure to deliver their cargo in time.
Truck drivers have contributed to the increase in accidents through:
Passenger vehicle drivers have much less chance of escaping a truck accident without serious injury. They are much more likely to die in these crashes because trucks are far bigger than their own cars. What is even worse is that truck accident victims may require multiple surgeries and lengthy hospitalization before they succumb to their injuries. Their medical bills before they died could impose significant financial burdens on their surviving families.
Losing a loved one in a truck accident will cause a family to experience overwhelming grief. Their loved one has gone out in their car and not come home because of the carelessness of a truck driver, who should know how to properly do their job and follow traffic laws.
If the deceased had children, their loss will cause them lifelong impacts from growing up without a parent. Without financial compensation, the family could struggle financially, both now and permanently.
You will likely have many questions about what happens to your family after a truck accident has taken your loved one. While financial concerns will be foremost in your mind, you will also want justice when a truck driver has done something wrong.
You will want a company that employs the driver to pay a price. You can do this through a wrongful death lawsuit. This will not bring your loved one back, but it can help your family survive in the aftermath of the accident and get some degree of closure for the accident.
Truck accident lawsuits are more complex because they require additional investigation. However, they also mean that you can sue a trucking company with “deeper pockets.” This is where our lawyers can help you. We will ask all the relevant questions in figuring out who was to blame for the crash and help your family establish its strongest possible case.
Defective Products and Wrongful Death – When you and your family buy products, regardless of the circumstances, you do not expect them to injure you, let alone cause the death of a loved one. You place your trust in a company when you purchase from them or even allow a doctor to use their medical devices for your care. Unfortunately, some companies cut corners when they are selling their products to the public. In a worst-case scenario, their consumers are injured and can die.
Here are some common examples of defective products that can cause death:
These companies do not get to escape accountability when their products kill your loved one. While they put profits over the safety of their customers, you can get justice by getting a legal judgment out of them, which means that they will have to pay you.
When you file a wrongful death lawsuit against powerful companies, they will fight back. They have high-priced lawyers who are there to protect their own pocketbooks from having to pay for the damage that they caused. They will not simply say that they are sorry and write you a check for your loss. Instead, you can expect a serious fight in a wrongful death lawsuit from a product liability case. This is why you need a lawyer who is unafraid to take on large corporate interests.
To win a product liability wrongful death lawsuit, you will need to prove that the manufacturer is at least somewhat to blame for the injury that took your loved one’s life. Your lawsuit would have to show that they failed to meet the reasonable standard of care that is expected from a manufacturer by a “balance of probabilities.”
Corporate defendants do everything they can to fight these lawsuits. You can assume that if your loved one died due to using a product, they were not the only ones. Large-scale product liability lawsuits with death involved threaten a company’s reputation and existence, and they will come out fighting.
There are three different ways that you can show that a product was defective:
Proving your product liability wrongful death case will require expert witnesses and scientific evidence to show exactly how this product was defective. These are complex cases that require a lawyer to get down to the bottom of how the product should have worked and why it did not work in your case. This is why you need a lawyer with experience in these types of cases. If your case is successful, you could receive a large verdict from the court or a settlement check.
Here are some reasons why accident victims will die from their injuries. Many wrongful death cases will involve a sudden trauma that will kill the victim instantly. However, other accident victims may not perish immediately, as doctors try life-saving measures to help them. In other cases, the personal injury is a long illness that will eventually take the victim’s life.
Traumatic Brain Injury – This is one of the leading causes of death in personal injury cases. The brain controls the flow of oxygen to the rest of the body. A sudden impact will immediately kill brain tissue and keep it from sending messages to the rest of the body that control vital life functions. Traumatic brain injuries are often irreversible. If they do not result in immediate death, the victim may perish soon afterward. Brain swelling can reduce blood flow to the rest of the body, and it is very difficult for doctors to manage the swelling in the brain.
Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal cord injuries present a severe danger for the accident victim in the hours immediately following their injury. One of the major problems that accident victims encounter is damage to their respiratory system. The paralysis caused by a spinal cord injury keeps accident victims from breathing normally. Even people who survive the initial period after their injury face risks in the coming years. The most common cause of death among spinal cord injury patients is pneumonia. If your loved one dies years later from this illness after suffering a spinal cord injury, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
Damage to Internal Organs – Internal injuries will often result in death. One of the most common areas where accident victims can suffer a devastating internal injury is to their chest. This is where the heart and lungs are. Serious rib injuries can puncture the heart, killing the victim almost instantly. Punctured lungs will keep a victim from being able to breathe, and they present an immediate health emergency.
Internal injuries in the stomach area can lead to life-threatening infections, especially when the intestine is punctured or ruptures. These injuries could also disrupt vital kidney functions that clean the body of toxins. These injuries are often not apparent right off the bat, costing the victim vital treatment time. Doctors will then need to perform emergency life-saving surgery, which is not always successful.
Illness – Even without a traumatic incident that causes a sudden injury, one can develop a long-term health problem that could cause wrongful death.
For example, some health and pharmaceutical products lead to an elevated risk of cancer. Zantac was one of the world’s best-selling drugs before the manufacturer pulled it from the market because research connected it to increased cancer risks. Other health products have connections to cancer, such as Johnson & Johnson’s talc powder.
One of the largest product liability lawsuits in history was the asbestos litigation, where a popular building product was causing mesothelioma in people who had prolonged exposure to it. Numerous medical devices have caused illness or infection that have killed patients, including, allegedly, Philips CPAP machines.
A wrongful death claim can assist a family in supplementing the economic burden that comes with losing a family member. This compensation is available to the victim’s family if certain circumstances occurred and the claimant provides enough evidence that the negligent party is responsible.
There are three main areas of criteria you will be required to meet in order to prove that the negligent party is responsible for the wrongful death of your loved one. These areas include:
A Hamilton, Ontario wrongful death lawyer will assist you with all of the facets of your case and ensure that you have substantial evidence to obtain the maximum settlement possible. This can be a difficult and confusing process, especially during a time where emotions run high. As a result, it is best to work with a Hamilton wrongful death lawyer that is highly experienced in claims of this nature who can make the process easier and more successful for you.
Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers understands that dealing with an insurance company can be a complex, confusing, and aggravating time for families who have lost loved ones. Our Hamilton wrongful death lawyers understand that many people have never dealt with a wrongful death lawyer before.
Our firm makes it easy. We simply encourage any inquiries, and we will discuss your legal options thoroughly. Our consultations are free of charge, free of obligation, and completely confidential. Our lawyers are flexible and can arrange a consultation at a time that is convenient to you and your family—and we are happy to answer any questions you have.
To schedule your free consultation with our wrongful death lawyers, call us toll-free, no matter where you are in Ontario at 1-888-LALANDE or local throughout Southern Ontario area at 905-333-8888. Alternatively, you can chat with our live operator 24/7 or send an email through our website and we will be happy to get right back to you.
I call Matt my knight in shining armour. After I was struck by a car while cycling and permanently crippled, he fielded all communications with my especially difficult and downright nasty insurance adjuster. Every step of my care was a battle and I did not have the strength to fight alone.
I call Matt my knight in shining armour. After I was struck by a car while cycling and permanently crippled, he fielded all communications with my especially difficult and downright nasty insurance adjuster. Every step of my care was a battle and I did not have the strength to fight alone.
