North Bethesda, Maryland Wrongful Death Lawyer

If you are reading this article, chances are you or someone close to you experienced the untimely death of a loved one. The sudden death of a loved one can be a shocking, upsetting, and enraging experience. You may experience a wide mix or range of emotions – all of which are valid. These feelings can be amplified even more if you suspect that your loved one’s death was caused by someone else’s mistake.

In difficult times like these, our lawyers are here to lend a hand and help you out. We have the legal experience and professionalism, as well as the care and tact necessary to handle wrongful death claims and give you the best chance we can at getting financial compensation in court.

For a free, no-obligation review of your case, call our compassionate and caring wrongful death lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.

What Causes Wrongful Death Claims in North Bethesda, MD

Wrongful death claims are, in many ways, similar to personal injury claims. However, in wrongful death lawsuits, you are not suing because you got injured but because someone else got injured and died as a result. Like in personal injury lawsuits, you allege that the defendant was negligent and that their negligence caused the wrongful death of the deceased person. In law, negligence means that someone was careless, and their carelessness led to somebody getting hurt. Unfortunately, in the case of wrongful death claims, someone dies instead of just getting hurt. Below, our wrongful death lawyers have compiled a brief list of some of the things that can result in wrongful death lawsuits in North Bethesda.

Car Accidents

Car accidents happen all the time. Unfortunately, they sometimes lead to fatalities. This is especially true in high-speed accidents or in accidents involving older vehicles that may not have as many safety features as more modern ones. Additionally, pedestrians are at greater risk of being killed if struck by a car than a motorist because the human body is not as resilient as a car.

One of the very important things you need to do after a car accident results in the death of a loved one is report it to the police. Not only will this help if there are any suspected criminal parts of the death, but the ensuing police report can be used by our lawyers to help you with your case.

Truck Accidents

Trucks are much, much larger and heavier than ordinary vehicles. The size difference between an 18-wheeler and a sedan, SUV, or even a pickup truck is astounding. For those reasons, trucks are likely to cause serious damage if they get in an accident, and it should come as no surprise that truck accidents can often result in fatalities.

One thing to consider in these cases is whether the trucking company properly vetted and/or trained their drivers. If they did not, then the trucking company, as well as the trucker, may be liable for the death of your loved one, and you should sue both.

Construction Accidents

Construction sites are rife with danger. There is a lot of bulky machinery, sharp objects, and heavy bits of debris in and around construction sites. The complex nature of construction sites leads to a lot of opportunities for negligence. Falling objects could kill construction workers or passersby if proper precautions are not taken, construction workers who are allowed to do jobs they are not qualified for may get killed when they make a mistake, and dangerous heavy machinery can malfunction and cause fatal injuries.

Laws pertaining to on-the-job injuries – even fatal ones – can create complications that should be brought to the attention of our lawyers when you discuss your case with us.

Products Liability

“Product liability” refers to the area of law surrounding defective products. A product is “defective” when it malfunctions in a dangerous way when used how it is supposed to be used. An example of a product that can have a fatal defect is a firearm. Suppose a new handgun is designed with a safety selector switch that is loose and can be made ready to fire without any input from the user. If that weapon suddenly goes off and kills someone when the user thought it was “safe,” the manufacturer may be liable for that wrongful death. Another example would be a motorcycle with a braking system that does not always work when pressure is applied. An unsuspecting rider may try to hit the brakes and instead continue riding into a fatal accident. The motorcycle designer or manufacturer may be liable in that case.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice refers to negligence by medical professionals that results in injury. It should come as no surprise that an undiagnosed or misdiagnosed illness, botched surgery, or wrongly prescribed medication can result in an untimely death.

Medical malpractice claims are quite complicated, and medical malpractice law can interact with laws dealing with wrongful death in a lot of strange and esoteric ways, so it is best to speak in depth with our lawyers if you are pursuing a wrongful death claim based on medical malpractice.

Who Can File Wrongful Death Claims in North Bethesda, MD?

Not anyone can file a wrongful death claim. Under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 3-904(a)(1), only parents, spouses, and children of the deceased can file wrongful death claims. Other family members such as cousins, aunts, or uncles cannot file these claims except when those other, closer family members are not around to do so. Moreover, very close friends or acquaintances cannot file this claim either.

Talk with Our North Bethesda, MD Wrongful Death Lawyers Right Away

Rice, Murtha & Psoras has wrongful death lawyers ready to help you through this difficult time when you call us at (410) 694-7291.