While money cannot make up for the loss of your loved one, compensation can make it easier for you to provide for your family and cover bills that have resulted from your loved one’s untimely passing. Our team has won billions in damages for clients like you, so you can rely on a Buffalo fatal car accident lawyer from our team to get the results you deserve.
How a Buffalo Fatal Car Accident Attorney Can Help You
Our personal injury lawyers in Buffalo represent families of accident victims who have suffered harm from negligent acts. Unfortunately, carelessness and recklessness lead to fatalities, and those responsible for deadly accidents should be held accountable. If you hire us, we are ready to take legal action on your behalf.
We will manage your wrongful death lawsuit and request damages from the liable party to compensate you for your loved one’s passing. Our highly skilled Buffalo fatal car accident lawyers will also do the following:
- Provide prompt legal counsel and regular case updates
- Explain all applicable laws and answer all your questions and concerns
- Investigate the fatal accident
- Collect and review evidence that supports your case
- Identify all liable parties, even those not at the accident scene
- Interview witnesses to get their accounts about what happened
- Determine your case’s value, assessing the cost of each loss you and your loved one endured
- Manage all communications with all parties and represent you
- Handle settlement negotiations with the liable party’s insurance company
- Prepare and file your wrongful death lawsuit
- Take your case to trial if a settlement with the liable party is unreachable
- Handle all case paperwork and meet all deadlines
We Start With Learning More About Your Case
When you call our office, our first step is to listen to your account of the accident. If you have a viable case, we will begin investigating your crash. This investigation may include visiting the scene, finding witnesses, and collecting documentary evidence.
Our initial investigation will serve two purposes. We’ll investigate the incident to prove the liable party was mostly, if not entirely, responsible for the crash and to prove that your loved one and your family suffered as a direct result of the liable party’s actions.
Have You Been Injured In An Accident? Contact Morelli Law
877-751-9800Damages Our Buffalo Fatal Car Accident Attorneys Can Pursue
It’s normal to wonder what goes into a lawsuit and how long it will take to get your money. The answer to those questions depends on how complicated your loved one’s accident was and whether the liable party’s insurance company is willing to cooperate with your family’s compensation demands.
No matter how challenging your case is, Morelli Law is ready to fight on your behalf. Our fatal car accident lawyers in Buffalo will work hard to obtain the wrongful death damages you’re owed, which may include any of the following:
Non-Economic Damages
Your loved one’s death has likely affected you and your family in many ways. Our legal team will uncover all the damages you could recover. We’ll review the evidence and work with you to identify all the forms of compensation you’re eligible to receive. You may be entitled to two sets of damages, the first of which is non-economic damages.
Non-economic damages can help you with the emotional and psychological suffering you’ve endured due to your loved one’s passing. Whether you’re experiencing depression, anxiety, loss of enjoyment of life, or another emotional challenge, these damages can make your life a little easier during this challenging time.
Depending on the mental struggles you’re experiencing, our personal injury attorneys could pursue any of the following non-economic damages:
- Pain and suffering: You may receive pain and suffering damages if your loved one experienced a great deal of physical discomfort and pain prior to their passing.
- Mental anguish: Losing a close family member can result in feelings of emotional distress and mental anguish that are incredibly difficult to cope with. These damages can give you the support you need to seek counseling and other forms of help for the anguish you’ve been burdened with.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Sadly, when a loved one dies, it can be hard to enjoy life in the same way that you did when they were still alive. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, a personal injury attorney can fight for these damages.
Economic Damages
While non-economic damages make up for subjective and intangible losses, economic damages can compensate for objective, financial losses. Whether our team negotiates with the insurance company or takes your case to court, we’ll work tirelessly to obtain the following economic damages on your behalf:
- Medical bills: These damages can cover any medical bills your loved one incurred prior to their death. These damages can be used to pay for the decedent’s hospital stays, surgeries, prescriptions, and more. Make sure to hold on to your loved one’s medical records and bills so your attorney can pursue fair compensation.
- Funeral and burial expenses: These damages can be used to give your loved one a proper funeral and burial. Remember to hold on to any financial documents related to the decedent’s funeral and burial. That way, your lawyer can pursue the correct amount of financial compensation.
- Loss of financial support: Without your loved one’s income, it might be hard for you and your family to make ends meet. These damages can be used to replace any income you’ve lost due to your loved one’s passing.
Punitive Damages
Although punitive damages aren’t always awarded in wrongful death cases, you may receive them if the at-fault party acted with extreme disregard for how their actions would affect others. For example, if your loved one was injured in a drunk driving accident caused by an impaired driver who was behaving recklessly, you could receive these damages.
While these damages can provide you with some extra compensation to support yourself and your family during this difficult time, they also act as a form of punishment, deterring the at-fault party and others from committing similar acts in the future.
Two Ways to Receive Compensation: Through Negotiations or a Trial
Negotiating a pretrial settlement tends to be the quicker way of receiving money. Your lawyer may sit down with the liable party’s insurance company and try to convince them to compensate you for your damages. If they agree, we will make sure their offer is fair before you accept it. If not, we can take the case to court on your behalf.
It’s important to remember that even in situations like these, the insurance company is not your friend. In fact, they may try to offer you a lowball settlement before you have time to hire a lawyer in order to avoid paying out the settlement that you’re owed.
To avoid falling victim to dishonest insurance tactics, you’ll want to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney before you accept any offers from the insurer. A lawyer can calculate how much your claim is worth and determine if the initial offer from the insurance provider is sufficient.
Contact our Buffalo Car Accidents Lawyers today
877-751-9800You Must File a New York Wrongful Death Action by a Certain Time
If pursuing legal action is right for you and your family, we encourage you to do it as soon as you can. New York State, like other states, sets a statute of limitations deadline on personal injury claims and wrongful death lawsuits.
Per EPT § 5-4.1, you have two years from your loved one’s death date to sue the liable parties for the accident. Once this deadline passes, it may be too late for you to recover damages. Each case is unique, however, so exceptions may apply. A fatal car accident lawyer from Buffalo can review your situation and let you know if the timeline differs.
If your loved one died in an accident involving a government official, such as a city or county employee, your filing deadline could differ from the two-year window. If you decide to sue a municipality, GMUL § 50-3 requires you to send a written notice of your intention to sue. You must do this within 90 days. This rule could mean you have less time to take action.
In either case, you must act quickly. We will advise you on how much time you have after completing our initial review. You can count on our team to take swift action, working efficiently to meet the deadlines that apply to your unique case.
Fatal Injuries We Can Pursue Justice and Compensation For
If you’re seeking damages for the loss of a loved one who suffered a fatal injury in an accident, it’s critical to the success of your case that you work with an attorney who has handled cases centered around similar injuries.
Our car accident attorneys in Buffalo have worked with grieving families whose loved ones have been taken from them by a number of injuries, including the following:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
These are only a few of the serious injuries we’ve dealt with in the past. We’ve also sought compensation for wrist injuries, hip injuries, leg injuries, shoulder injuries, and a handful of other conditions. We’ll work with medical professionals to learn more about the injuries your loved one suffered so we can pursue ample compensation for your medical bills.
Types of Accidents Our Buffalo Fatal Car Accident Lawyers Can File a Claim For
Fatal auto accidents can result from a handful of different factors. The key to winning your accident lawsuit is determining what caused the incident and who should be held responsible. At our firm, we thoroughly investigate every case we work on. We’ll closely review the details of your case to figure out what caused it and who is liable for damages.
We’ve investigated and filed claims for many different types of car accidents, including the following:
- Drunk driving
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Head-on collision
- Rear-end collision
- Driving over the speed limit
These are only a few of the types of collisions that can cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. If your loved one has passed away after suffering severe injuries in one of these accidents or a different scenario, don’t hesitate to reach out to our fatal car accident attorneys in Buffalo. We’ll draw on our extensive experience to get the compensation you’re owed.
Driver Error Does Not Cause Every Car Accident
Sometimes, factors beyond the other driver’s control cause accidents. For example, a driver might lose control of their vehicle if their engine suddenly stops working or their brakes or tires give out. If your loved one’s fatal crash was caused by a defective or poorly manufactured part, our team may pursue damages from the manufacturing company that produced the part.
We Can Show How Negligence Caused the Accident
For your claim or lawsuit to be successful, our team of fatal car accident attorneys from Buffalo must establish the four elements of negligence. We’ll work hard to prove the following elements so you have the best chance possible of receiving compensatory damages:
- The liable party owed your loved one a duty of care: First, we must prove the motorist or other party that caused your loved one’s fatal car accident owed them a duty of care. A duty of care is a legal obligation that all drivers have to drive in a way that protects the safety of others.
- The liable party breached that duty: Next, we must show that the defendant acted in such a way that breached their duty of care. For example, if the offending driver failed to heed a red light and struck your loved one’s car, this is a breach of duty to observe the rules of the road.
- The breach caused the accident and fatally injured your loved one: Our team must also establish that the at-fault party’s failure to stop at the red light led to the accident that caused your loved one’s fatal injuries.
- The accident caused your loved one to suffer damages: Finally, we’ll use evidence to show your relative would have suffered losses like medical expenses and other damages if they hadn’t died. If we are successful in this step, you’ll likely receive fair compensation.
Our firms can use strong evidence and legal arguments to prove these elements. Once we’ve done so, there’s a good chance you’ll receive the damages you need to cover expenses and cope with the loss you’ve suffered. A lawyer from our team can explain these elements in greater detail and answer any questions you have during a free consultation.
How to Find the Right Team of Attorneys for Your Case
When you hire a wrongful death lawyer to handle your case, you want to make sure they have what it takes to get the best results possible. Consider asking potential attorneys the following questions to make sure that hiring them is the right choice for your unique case:
- Have you handled cases like mine in the past?
- What is your rate of success with fatal car accident cases?
- How much is the average wrongful death settlement?
- How much is my claim worth?
- How long will my case take to reach a conclusion?
- Do you have any past case results or client testimonials I can review?
- What strategy will you use to win my case?
- How often will we communicate during my case?
If the answers that a potential representative gives to these questions instill confidence in you, they are probably a good fit for your case. One of the most important qualities to look for in an advocate is if you feel comfortable speaking to them.
If you work well together and they offer clear answers to your questions, there’s an excellent chance that they’ll be able to get the result you and your family are looking for.
Why Our Firm Is the Right Choice for Your Case
When you’re dealing with inherited medical bills, unexpected funeral costs, and the grief of losing a close loved one, you’ll want to make sure your wrongful death claim is in good hands. When you work with Morelli Law, you hand your case over to a group of highly experienced attorneys who are committed to getting the results you and your family need to cope with this tragic loss.
Here’s why working with our Buffalo fatal car accident lawyers is the smart choice:
Our Track Record of Success
When you hire an attorney to handle your wrongful death suit, you want to make sure they’ve had success with similar cases in the past. At our firm, we have countless impressive case results that speak to our dedication to client success. Once you’ve read through our past settlements and verdicts, you’ll realize just how much we care about getting the best outcomes for our clients.
Our past successes are also reflected in the positive testimonials and reviews we’ve received from previous clients. Our testimonials show that our main goal is to offer as much support as we can during this difficult time and recover the damages you need to mourn your loss comfortably.
You Don’t Have to Pay Up Front
When we take your case, it means you can focus on other matters while we handle your legal action. You also won’t have to worry about affording legal fees because our car accident lawyers serve Buffalo clients on a contingency fee basis.
This means you will not have to pay us a retainer upfront. We will start and complete your case without any initial fees. We only get paid if we recover compensation for you.
Our fee will be an agreed-upon percentage that we take from your final settlement or court-ordered award. During your free consultation, we will review how payment arrangements work and go over the wrongful death filing process. We hope this type of payment arrangement makes it easy for you to get access to the compassionate legal support you deserve.
We’re Here to Support You Throughout Your Case
We know it may be difficult to think about your loved one’s death in enough detail to file a lawsuit. That’s why we’re here to help you in any way we can. We’ll offer compassionate legal guidance and support throughout the entirety of your wrongful death lawsuit.
No matter how complicated your case is, you can count on us to see it through from start to finish, ensuring you are informed and comfortable throughout the entire process. With our attorneys by your side, you’ll have the peace of mind you need to focus on mourning your loss and celebrating the life of your loved one.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Buffalo Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
Unexpected deaths can bring grief, financial hardships, and more on the families left behind to deal with the loss. If you recently lost a family member after a fatal car accident, please reach out to us for legal help. We know that this is likely a tough time for you and your family, which is why we’re eager to offer the compassionate guidance you need to understand the legal process.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Buffalo fatal car accident lawyer. We’ll meet with you to discuss your loved one’s accident and answer any questions you have about filing a wrongful death lawsuit. We look forward to hearing from you soon and pursuing the justice and financial remedies you and your family need to navigate this unfortunate time.
Call or text 877-751-9800 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
