When to Call a Car Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas
Car, motorcycle, truck, airplane, and helicopter accidents are the leading cause of wrongful death cases. When someone in your family is killed in a preventable motor vehicle accident, then the responsible person or company or government agency should rightfully shoulder the associated costs.
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Case Study #1
In 2008, while driving on a rural commuter route, a driver saw another car spin out on the gravel on the road. He stopped his car to help the other driver and to call an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, a third car came along the same stretch of road and also lost control on the construction gravel. Tragically, the car hit him, causing his death.
A jury awarded his wife and 10-year-old daughter over $11.5 million dollars in a wrongful death case. The county government was found responsible for neglecting to clear the road of dangerous gravel. The county had been aware of a string of motor vehicle accidents in previous years along the same stretch of road, all caused by the loose gravel. Despite an awareness of the safety hazard, the county had failed to either remove the gravel or provide proper signage.
Wrongful death cases may involve drunk drivers, distracted drivers, careless drivers, or sleepy drivers. Alternatively, traffic-related wrongful death cases may involve faulty airbags, risky manufacturing decisions, unsafe roads, drunk pilots, or poorly-marked roads.
Case Study #2
In 2001, 22-year-old R&B singer Aaliyah died in a plane crash after a music video shoot. Eight other individuals in the plane were also killed. Aaliyah’s parents filed a wrongful death suit against the airway company and against Virgin Records for making unsafe transportation arrangements.
The lawsuit claimed that Virgin Records had hired an airway company that had broken industry safety regulations and received safety citations four times within the four years previous to the accident. Cocaine and alcohol traces were found in the pilot’s bloodstream. The pilot was not registered with or approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), making the pilot unqualified to transport passengers for the airway company legally. In addition, the aircraft was 700 pounds overloaded and was transporting one more passenger than safety regulations would allow. The pilot was on record as commenting that the plane was overloaded.
In 2003, this wrongful death case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
When an avoidable traffic accident occurs that results in death, there is the legal justification for a wrongful death lawsuit.
When to Call a Work Accident Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas
Work accidents that result in preventable death are another leading cause of wrongful death cases.
Case Study #3
In 2020, a nurse in a mental health facility contracted COVID-19. Despite receiving timely and appropriate medical treatment, he succumbed to the disease. His wife filed a wrongful death suit against her husband’s workplace, alleging that the facility had not followed state-mandated policies and procedures meant to protect employees and residents from the transmission of COVID-19. The plaintiff sought $25,000 in damages to pay for funeral expenses and medical bills.
Work accidents often involve companies failing to meet government safety regulations, dangerous equipment, chemical exposure, lack of protective clothing, slips and falls, or an employer’s failure to disclose known risks.
Case Study #4
In October 2014, a 33-year-old welder at a metal shredding recycling plant was electrocuted to death while helping other employees replace the metal roof of an electrical transformer substation. The widow alleged that her husband “contacted or came in proximity to an energized electrical line causing him to sustain an electrical shock, internal and external burns, and multiple other serious injuries that ultimately resulted in his death.”
The wrongful death case alleged that the recycling company violated nine safety regulations administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Eight of the nine safety violations were coded as serious. The case alleges that employees were not trained in electrical safe work practices. Further allegations involved the company’s use of faulty testing equipment. The welder was made to believe that the electrical line had been properly tested to confirm it was de-energized, but the testing tool was 13 years older than manufacturer guidelines allowed.
The wife requested compensation for the premature death of the husband, the needless pain and suffering experienced by him before his death, and the needless pain and suffering experienced family members as a result of his untimely passing.
Employees may not be able to sue their employers for on-the-job injuries since they are usually covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, when workplace negligence leads to death, then a plaintiff may be able to file a wrongful death suit to recover damages. Wrongful death suits play an important role in preventing such accidents from repeating themselves in the future.
Contact a Wrongful Death Attorney in Las Vegas for Help
If you have lost a loved one due to a preventable accident—whether through a car crash, workplace incident, traumatic brain injury accident or some other cause—we recommend that you seek a free legal consultation immediately to review your rights. A firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death will be the best-equipped to review your unique situation and help you determine the best course.
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