If you have lost a loved one in an incident that was caused by another person’s negligence, the last thing you need is to face hardship when trying to recover compensation for your loss. However, the law on the books in Washington has made it difficult for some people to pursue wrongdoers in the aftermath of certain cases.
Nearly four years after the fatal “Ride-the-Duck” boat crash that happened in 2015, we are seeing changes come to Washington’s wrongful death laws. Today, we want to discuss these changes as well as wrongful death in general. If you need a Seattle wrongful death attorney, contact Russell & Hill – Injury & Accident Attorneys today.
The Legislature Made Changes
Most of us remember the deadly Aurora Bridge duck boat crash that happened in 2015. The duck boat (an amphibious vehicle that can operate in water and on land) veered into oncoming traffic on the bridge. Five people were killed and 69 were injured in the crash.
In the aftermath, at least one death victim’s family members struggled to gain compensation for their loss due to a state law that was passed in 1909. The law required that family members of those killed actually live within the United States AND be economically dependent on the victim in order to file a wrongful death claim. The family affected challenged the law as discriminatory.
Now, the state legislature has approved a proposal to update the state’s wrongful death law, removing those two requirements.
What It Wrongful Death?
Wrongful death cases can arise in a number of ways, but are generally filed by family members who have lost a loved one due to the negligent, reckless, or careless acts of another person, company, or entity.
Below, we briefly review some of the common ways in which wrongful death occur, but please know that this is not a complete list. Always speak with an attorney when making decisions regarding your particular case.
- Vehicle Accidents
- Product Liability
- Workplace/Construction Accidents
- Medical Mistakes
- Criminal Activity
- Tucking/Commercial Vehicle Crashes
- Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect
- Boating Accidents
- Birth Injuries
What We Can Do Now
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person, company, or entity, please seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At the Russell & Hill – Injury & Accident Attorneys, our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to step in and help you get the compensation you and your family deserve. This can include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of income and benefits of the deceased
- Pain and suffering damages
- Loss of companionship damages
- Punitive damages against those responsible
We will investigate what happened and uncover all the facts of the case. We know that no amount of money will erase the pain of losing a loved one, but a settlement can help bring closure and even prevent other families from going through this in the future. If you need a Seattle wrongful death attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by calling at 206-516-2045.
