5 Most common types of wrongful death cases

Your Loved One Matters

Dealing with the death is never easy. Those who have lost a loved one due to a wrongful death act will likely have a more difficult time processing what has happened and understanding the steps they should take next. It is critical that you seek legal advice from an experienced attorney that will help you decipher if another person or entity’s negligence or misconduct is the cause of a family member’s death. Your lawyer can help you with your wrongful death lawsuit, complexities involved in the case, and will fight to get you properly compensated.

At Gonzalez Torres Law, we understand the complexities involved in wrongful death cases, and we want to be your trusted advisor because we have years of experience helping family members get the justice they deserve – even when the odds appeared to be against them. First, a thorough review of all the information involved in your wrongful death case must be vetted out because it must be determined if, in fact, you have a valid case against the person or entity at fault. So yes, you need a lawyer who will investigate the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death, you need to know your rights and you will want to file a lawsuit to recovery damages incurred. Below we provide you with 5 of the most common types of wrongful death cases.

1. Car accidents

The first and most common case wrongful death case is one involving a fatal automobile accident due to a collision. These often happen due to the large numbers of people driving on our roads every day and in some cases these drivers are negligent.  

The United States Department of Transportation estimates that 38,824 lives were lost in traffic crashes in 2021 nationwide, marking the highest number of fatalities since 2007, many of which are the result of negligence driving like, distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, roadway issues, and driving while drowsy.

2. Commercial truck accident

Technically accidents involving commercial trucks are considered to be auto accidents, but they differ from passenger vehicle accidents due to the size of commercial trucks given that they are larger and heavier than a car. The likelihood of someone getting killed in a commercial truck accident is significantly higher simply due to the size and weight of the motor vehicle as compared to a car. After a car accident involving a commercial truck your attorney will consider different factors that may have caused the accident including: oversize loads, driver errors, improperly secured loads, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, mechanical failures, or  improper maintenance of the truck.

3. Medical malpractice

Health care providers are trained to save lives and should fight to avoid harming a patient in any way. Just the same, all hospitals have protocols in place to ensure patients are provided a safety environment. The reason for this is that the smallest mistake made by a doctor has a higher probability that it can be fatal for a patient. Some of the reasons an individual would be led to file a personal injury claim for wrongful death are misdiagnosis, surgical errors, delayed or incorrect treatment, pharmaceutical errors, birth injuries, defective medical devices or medications, lack of informed consent or ultimately hospital negligence.

If your loved one was killed due to a fatal mistake made by a medical professional you may be entitled to compensation and we are here to help you so that you don’t have to fight the legal system on your own.

4. Death in the workplace

The workplace can be a dangerous environment and it is important that safety measures are in place to avoid dangers to employees or employers. Fatal accidents can occur in any work-related environment and employers must ensure that the workplace is free of from potential hazards. Each year there are thousands of work related deaths and some of the most common reasons for these accidents are falls, being struck by an object, being caught in or between machinery, structures or materials, and electrocutions.

5. Defective products

Manufacturers have the responsibility to make sure their products are harmless for buyers everywhere. The company that makes these products assumes liability for those those who are at risk of harm due to the fact that a defective product can put one’s life at risk and in certain cases can be fatal. Defective products can be defined as defective drugs, defective children’s products, defective vehicles and the vehicle’s components or toxic foods and containers.

Contact the office of Gonzalez Torres Law

If you or someone close to you believe your family member was a victim of a wrongful death due to someone else’s negligence, contact the office of Gonzalez Torres Law. We have the compassion and experience you need to handle case and ensure you get the justice you deserve.