Fatal Vehicle Accidents in Arlington
Being involved in an automobile incident could result in bodily injuries, emotional turmoil, and sometimes death. When a loved one perishes in a fatal vehicle accident in Arlington, it may be difficult to cope with while ensuring that the at-fault party receives penalties for their actions.
A caring wrongful death lawyer in the area could help you get the justice your family deserves. While you adjust to life following a deadly car wreck, a diligent personal injury attorney could work on your case to make sure you receive proper compensation following your loved one’s death.
Types of Deadly Roadway Crashes
In fatal vehicle accidents, someone may run a stop sign and collide with another vehicle, or someone may be driving the wrong way on the road, causing a head-on collision. Crashes could also occur on highways because of the higher rates of speed. Any of these types of accidents could include cars, motorcycles, or trucks.
Car Wrecks
In a car crash, death could occur immediately, hours later, or even weeks after the accident. In Arlington, the damages could include medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss wages, and funeral and burial expenses. A caring motor vehicle wreck attorney could help surviving family members navigate through the different damages following an event like this.
Motorcycle Wrecks
If a motorcyclist was killed because of a crash or if someone else’s negligence caused the collision, then that would be a wrongful death case. Because of their small size and lack of protection, when a motorcycle is in a wreck, the results are often deadly for the motorcyclist.
Truck Wrecks
Trucks are much larger and weigh more than other vehicles, therefore, they are likely to cause death more often than a regular passenger car. If an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer smashes into a passenger car, just the brute force of that weight oftentimes results in fatalities.
Who is at Fault in Fatal Arlington Roadway Collisions?
For family members to file a wrongful death claim in a fatal car accident, there needs to be an at-fault party to make a claim against. It could be that the at-fault party was behaving illegally or simply not paying attention—but no matter the reason, their actions must have been the cause of death of the decedent.
If the accused was behaving illegally, there may be a criminal case brought against them as well. This could lead to punitive damages because their behavior was considered gross.
In the case of a trucking collision, it is possible for a truck driver to have a case against the company for which they work. Truckers could also have a case against a negligent driver, such as if someone merges onto the interstate when the truck is in the right lane. If another truck is in the left lane and they are unable to change lanes, they could be forced into a situation where they crash.
Compensation Following a Deadly Vehicular Crash
It is strongly recommended that surviving family members—generally the spouse or child—reach out to an Arlington wrongful death attorney who has experience handling these types of cases. The attorney could be able to guide them on what steps to take, such as damages available and what specific case details could mean for them.
Economic and Non-Economic Damages
All available damages are either economic or non-economic. Economic damages are represented by an exact monetary amount and are more easily determined than non-economic damages. Economic damages could be medical bills or lost wages. Non-economic damages are not exact monetary amounts because they focus more on the emotional or mental toll of the accident. They could include pain, suffering, loss of companionship, et cetera.
Punitive Damages
If the cause of the wreck is gross negligence, the claimant has the ability to pursue punitive damages. Punitive damages are meant to teach the at-fault party a lesson—or punish them—to show that their behavior is not tolerated. This is also meant to discourage them from performing the inciting action again.
Call an Arlington Deadly Motor Vehicle Crash Lawyer Today
Losing a loved one to a fatal vehicle accident in Arlington could be tragic and traumatic. You do not have to face coping with your loss and the legal aspects of the collision alone. Enlisting the help of a skilled attorney could make the positive difference your case needs.
Contact a local wrongful death lawyer today to discuss the details of the case to ensure that your family gets the compensation it deserves.