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Wrongful death cases are very emotional and oftentimes can be extremely complicated. As a result, experience matters when handling such cases. Although not every wrongful death case goes to court, it must be prepared as if it will. Here is why you should never go to court without experienced representation in a wrongful death case.
4 Reasons Not to Go to Court Without an Experienced Wrongful Death Attorney
Resources
To successfully bring a wrongful death case, your attorney will need to hire multiple types of experts to work (and possibly testify) on your behalf. For example, your loved one’s case may require medical expert witnesses to testify about the injuries suffered by your loved one and why the applicable standard of care was violated. Or the case may require an accident reconstructionist who can explain to a jury what happened and in what sequence. A financial expert may also be necessary to calculate both current and future financial damages your loved one and/or you suffered. Moreover, you will probably need an investigator to locate eyewitnesses and other pieces of evidence to complete the picture of the events that led up to the wrongful death. If the wrongful death arose out of medical malpractice, you are required to hire a medical expert to prove negligence on the part of the medical provider. Experienced wrongful death attorneys have access to the resources necessary to prove the wrongful death case in Court.
Experience
This is an obvious reason why you should retain a wrongful death attorney. You want to make sure to hire an attorney who has experience with every aspect of a wrongful death case, including having successfully taken a case to verdict. An experienced wrongful death attorney will make sure to work with the deceased’s estate throughout the case and to work tirelessly to preserve evidence, secure expert witnesses, and document all aspects of your case. Experienced law firms that take the time to prepare as if each case will go to trial have greater success with achieving better results, as the defendant is more likely to want to resolve the case if the attorney you hired is an experienced and successful wrongful death attorney. An experienced wrongful death attorney will always make sure to work diligently and intelligently on your loved one’s behalf. In addition, it is very beneficial for a judge or jury to see someone confident, competent, and composed presenting your case, and an experienced wrongful death attorney will do just that.
Contingent Payment
Most wrongful death attorneys operate on a contingency basis, which means you do not pay anything unless you receive a settlement or award. This means the attorney will put everything into winning your case, because otherwise, they do not get paid. However, you get all the benefits an attorney has without coming up with expensive fees out of your pocket. This arrangement essentially ensures that the attorney is taking all the risk of litigating your case.
Emotion
The death of a loved one due to a wrongful act by another person is a very traumatic and emotional event. An experienced wrongful death attorney will be compassionate and will care deeply about you and your loved one’s case. An experienced wrongful death attorney will make sure to effectively communicate with your loved one’s estate and to always listen and be mindful of how emotionally fraught losing a loved one can be. Having an experienced wrongful death attorney helps to remove the added stress of a wrongful death case. You should concentrate on healing, so you should make sure to hire an experienced wrongful death attorney to competently advocate on your loved one’s behalf.
We at Hirsch Andrade, LLP have had the honor and privilege of representing individuals and families whose loved ones have suffered a wrongful death and have taken many of those cases to trial. Contact Hirsch Andrade, LLP at (203) 331-8888 to schedule your consultation with our expert attorneys today.