Chico Wrongful Death Lawyer

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reports that around 3,000 people lose their lives in California auto accidents every year. In addition to this high number of accident deaths, many people die from accidents related to exposure to harmful chemicals, medical malpractice, boating and airplane accidents, dangerous consumer products, and other preventable causes. This means that the lives of thousands of people, as well as all of their friends and family members, are changed forever because of accidents that could have been prevented.

If you’ve suffered through losing somebody that you love in an accident caused by the carelessness of another party, you should seek the assistance of a Chico wrongful death attorney who can help you understand what your legal options are.

When negligence causes an accident, the families and dependents of fatally injured people can seek payments for the loss they’ve endured. This is accomplished through what is called a “wrongful death case.” Wrongful death is outlined in the California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 as actions, or else a lack of reasonable actions, committed by a person or group of people that proximately cause the death of another individual. Basically, wrongful death is when a person loses his or her life in an accident that was caused by the negligence of another party.

Many people who have lost a loved one are heavily affected by their loss both emotionally and financially. Those we love not only provide guidance, comfort, love, and companionship, but also usually take care of important household tasks, contribute to a family’s income, and more. For this reason, wrongful death cases can include a wide range of recoverable losses including both economic and non-economic damages. Some of the types of compensation that are commonly recovered include:

• Funeral and costs
• Medical costs related to the fatal accident
• Pain and Suffering
• Loss of parental guidance
• Loss of the companionship of a partner or spouse
• Loss of a source of income

After a fatal accident, people often feel a wave of emotions that can be overwhelming. Feelings of anger, depression, and anxiety are all normal but can be difficult to manage while still trying to go on with your life. Calling a lawyer on top of coping with your loved one’s death can seem like even more to deal with. However, recovering financially after a fatal accident can be complicated and liable parties usually do everything they can to avoid paying for your losses.

Getting in touch with a lawyer means that your attorney can begin conducting investigations right away. A Chico wrongful death lawyer with adequate experience will not only be able to make sure that you receive the money you deserve, but will make it easier for you to focus on emotional healing by taking away the stress of dealing with deadlines, paperwork, and negotiations.

While you should try to call an attorney as soon as you can, it is also important to make sure that you are comfortable with your lawyer. You can learn about lawyers by reading their reviews on third-party websites so that you can know if they are well-respected in the communities that they serve. Even if you are unsure, calling a lawyer so that you can learn about your options is a good idea, and most attorneys offer free phone consultations.

To get an idea of what may be a viable case of wrongful death, you can view this helpful video by Chico Wrongful Death Lawyer, Ed Smith.

I’m Ed Smith, a Chico wrongful death lawyer who has been representing area residents in cases of wrongful death for over 36 years. Losing someone you love can be difficult and often leaves people unsure of what they can do. If this has happened to you, call me at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400, so I can provide you with free, friendly legal advice. Another good way to contact me is by messaging me on my website.

Get an idea of how I’ve been able to help people in wrongful death and personal injury cases by reading my Settlements and Verdicts page. Also, feel free to read what they have written about my work on these sites: Avvo, Yelp, Google.  

I’m in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

I created the leading Northern CA site for info and news about personal injury, auto accidents, and more, AutoAccident.com.

Photo: "funeral" by Rhodi Alers de Lopez under unsplash.cc0

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Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 1.15.20]