The sudden loss of a loved one is a devastating experience, especially when it is due to someone else’s negligence or wrongful actions. Wrongful death claims are designed to provide financial compensation to the surviving family members for their losses and to hold the responsible parties accountable. At Semenza Law Firm, our compassionate wrongful death attorneys are dedicated to helping families navigate the legal complexities of wrongful death cases and secure the justice they deserve.
Wrongful death cases are inherently complex and emotionally charged. An experienced wrongful death lawyer can provide the necessary legal support and guidance, ensuring that your rights are protected and that you receive the full compensation you are entitled to. At Semenza Law Firm, we are committed to offering personalized and empathetic legal representation to families during these difficult times.
A wrongful death claim arises when a person’s death is caused by the negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions of another party. These claims are typically filed by the deceased’s family members or representatives to seek compensation for the losses incurred due to the death.
Typically, the following parties can file a wrongful death claim:
State laws vary regarding who can file a wrongful death claim and the time limits for doing so. It is crucial to consult with a knowledgeable wrongful death attorney to understand the specific laws in your jurisdiction.
These damages cover the financial contributions the deceased would have made, including:
These damages compensate for the non-financial losses suffered by the family, such as:
In cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct in the future.
To prove a wrongful death claim, it must be shown that the defendant owed a duty of care to the deceased.
It must be demonstrated that the defendant breached this duty of care through negligence, recklessness, or intentional actions.
There must be a direct link between the breach of duty and the death of the deceased.
The plaintiff must show that they suffered actual damages as a result of the wrongful death.
Collecting sufficient evidence to support the claim is critical. This may include medical records, witness statements, expert testimonies, and accident reports.
Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts. An experienced attorney can negotiate with insurers to ensure fair compensation.
Navigating the legal complexities and adhering to statutory deadlines are essential to the success of a wrongful death claim.
Our attorneys specialize in wrongful death cases and have a deep understanding of the legal intricacies involved. We are dedicated to providing expert legal representation.
We have a proven history of successfully representing clients in wrongful death cases, securing significant settlements and verdicts. Our commitment to achieving favorable outcomes is reflected in our results.
At Semenza Law Firm, we provide compassionate and personalized attention to each client. We understand the emotional turmoil that accompanies wrongful death cases and strive to offer support and guidance throughout the legal process.
During the initial consultation, we will discuss the details of your case, answer any questions you may have, and provide an honest assessment of your legal options.
We thoroughly assess your case to develop a strong legal strategy. This involves gathering relevant information, understanding your objectives, and formulating a plan to achieve the best possible outcome.
Our team conducts a thorough investigation, gathering evidence such as medical records, witness statements, and expert testimonies to build a strong case.
We will negotiate with the responsible parties and their insurers on your behalf to secure a fair settlement. Our goal is to maximize your compensation while avoiding the need for a lengthy trial.
If a fair settlement cannot be reached, we are prepared to take your case to trial. Our experienced trial attorneys will present a compelling case to ensure your rights are protected.
At Semenza Law Firm, we work on a contingency fee basis for workers’ compensation cases. This means you do not pay any upfront fees, and we only get paid if we secure benefits for you.
Hiring an experienced wrongful death attorney significantly increases your chances of success. Our expertise and dedication provide valuable support in navigating the complex legal process and securing the compensation you deserve.
A wrongful death claim is a legal action brought by the surviving family members or representatives of a deceased person whose death was caused by the negligence or wrongful actions of another party.
Eligible parties typically include the deceased’s spouse, children, parents, siblings, and other legally recognized dependents or beneficiaries.
Damages can include economic losses (medical expenses, funeral costs, lost income), non-economic losses (pain and suffering, loss of companionship), and punitive damages in cases of gross negligence.
The statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim varies by state. It is important to consult with an attorney to understand the specific deadlines in your jurisdiction.
Liability is determined by proving that the defendant owed a duty of care to the deceased, breached that duty, and caused the death, resulting in damages to the family.
Evidence may include medical records, witness statements, expert testimonies, accident reports, and other relevant documentation that supports the claim.
Yes, a wrongful death claim can still be filed even if the deceased had a will. The claim is separate from the estate and is pursued on behalf of the surviving family members.
At Semenza Law Firm, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay any upfront fees. We only get paid if we secure compensation for you.
The time it takes to resolve a wrongful death case varies depending on the complexity of the case and whether it goes to trial. Some cases can be settled in a few months, while others may take a year or more.
Seek medical and emotional support for your family, gather any relevant information and documentation, and contact a wrongful death attorney to discuss your legal options.
Contact Semenza Law Firm today. We are here to provide you with the legal support and expertise you need to secure the justice and compensation you deserve.
Nationwide Service: Wherever you are, Semenza Law Firm is here to help. Call either of our locations, fill out a form, or email us at stephen@ssemenzalaw.com.
Quick Links
Ssemenza Law
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to