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PA Wrongful Death Attorneys
Wrongful death is the death of an individual due to the negligent actions of another. Wrongful death law allows for an injury claim filed by the surviving family against the negligent person(s). Wrongful death can be caused by car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, nursing home abuse, prescription drugs, medical malpractice or a variety of other circumstances – but the common factor is a failure of the responsible party to meet certain duties or responsibilities because of negligent, reckless or intentional conduct.
Whether that negligence is a truck driver’s failure to observe traffic laws, leading to a fatal trucking collision with a passenger car, or a drug company’s negligence in bringing a dangerous prescription medication to market – the results are the same. Families lose loved ones, and their emotional loss is often compounded by serious financial harm, particularly when the deceased was the primary wage earner.
The Pennsylvania Survival Act allows immediate family members (spouses, children and parents) to recover damages the deceased would have provided to their family had he or she lived, including: earnings; medical and funeral expenses; estate administration expenses; survivor’s emotional pain and suffering, and punitive damages in cases of malicious intent.
In most wrongful death claims, the family must establish negligence, which exists when the following conditions can be proven:
The defendant (person or company allegedly responsible for the death) had a duty to the deceased and/or to members of the public.
- The defendant failed in that duty,
- The fatality was caused by the defendant’s breach of duty, and
- The survivors are damaged as a result of the loss of their loved one.
Other key factors in any wrongful death claim will be the relationship of the survivors filing the claim to the deceased, as well as expected lifetime earnings of the deceased. These help the court determine damage amounts. Time is of the essence for wrongful death claims; legal action must take place within two years of the death – so prompt legal consultation is important.
The PA wrongful death attorneys of Munley, Munley & Cartwright have represented survivors of wrongful death victims across several practice areas, including automobile accidents, truck wrecks, motorcycle accidents, nursing home neglect, prescription drug injury, and medical negligence. We know that monetary damages cannot bring back a loved one, but financial compensation can provide economic security to the family left behind. Those damages can fund a college education for children, and provide medical care and other life necessities for surviving family members.
At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., our Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers have more than 40 years of experience in the practice areas of personal injury, including wrongful death. Our Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers work hard to make sure that the financial needs of our clients are met, while remaining sensitive to the emotional loss they have suffered. Our goal is to provide exceptional legal services to our clients. We strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through teamwork and the use of our considerable resources and experience.
We have offices conveniently located in Scranton, Stroudsburg, Carbondale, Plains, Hazleton, Harrisburg and Hamlin, PA. If you have been injured as a result of an automobile accident in Pennsylvania, please contact us online or by telephone at (800) 318-LAW1 for a free review of your case.
Our PA wrongful death lawyers have received numerous professional awards and recognition, but we are most proud of our strong commitment to the victims we represent. For more information about our PA wrongful death lawyers and firm, please visit http://www.munley.com.
