Choosing the Right Wrongful Death Attorney Near Me

According to statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were over 170,000 deaths from unintentional injuries in 2018.

Of course, a lot of these are simply tragedies for whom nobody is to blame. In other scenarios, however, deaths can occur due to the negligence or intentional acts of a person or legal entity. Where this is the case, the family of the deceased person may be able to pursue a claim for wrongful death.

If you find yourself looking up “wrongful death attorney near me” on Google, take your time. There are a few things you need to be aware of before hiring someone.

Read on to learn all you need to know about wrongful death lawsuits and the lawyers that take them on.

What Is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

Simply put, a wrongful death lawsuit allows the family of a deceased person to recover compensation if the death was the fault of someone else. It’s similar to a murder or manslaughter charge in some ways, but those are criminal offenses; if a defendant is convicted of a crime like that, they will end up in jail, but the conviction will not require them to pay compensation.

If, on the other hand, a defendant loses a wrongful death suit, they will not face criminal penalties, but they will have to pay monetary damages.

The Best Wrongful Death Attorney Near Me

There are a few characteristics that set average wrongful death lawyers apart from exceptional ones. Top-class practitioners like this wrongful death lawyer have all the following qualities in spades.

Experience

This is the first and most important thing you need to look for when hiring an attorney for any task. You want someone with experience in the courtroom, as well as in negotiation proceedings behind closed doors. Remember, the majority of cases are settled in the latter fashion, so it’s not all about what happens in front of a judge and jury.

Educational Background

Not every top-class lawyer comes from an Ivy League school. However, if an attorney does have one of these institutions on their resume, it’s a good indication that they know what they’re doing. All other things being equal, a good school counts for a lot.

Professionalism

A lot of gifted litigators lack the basic qualities required to be an all-round great lawyer. When you’re hiring an attorney, you want to make sure they’re the kind of person who shows up to meetings on time with all the correct documentation. Otherwise, they may end up causing more problems than they solve.

Getting the Most Value Out of Your Wrongful Death Claim

So, before you go back to Googling “wrongful death attorney near me,” keep the factors listed above in mind. Hiring the best lawyer you can will give you the best possible shot at emerging from your lawsuit with the result you want.

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