Wrongful Death

When your family member dies as a result of someone else’s negligence—whether because of a car crash, defective product, medical malpractice, or other tragedy—your life has a permanent, painful hole in it. Nothing fills that up again. But sometimes, pursuing justice for a lost life—and for the people living with that loss—is a part of healing and moving on.

Virginia has statutory laws (Code sections 8.01-50 to -56) that define a wrongful death case and who may present claims for injuries suffered by the loss of another’s life. The law states that when someone dies because of another’s negligence, the deceased person’s estate administrator may pursue a lawsuit to recover medical and funeral expenses and to compensate the “beneficiaries” for their individual losses. Code section 8.01-53 defines who is a beneficiary entitled to recover in a wrongful death lawsuit, and can be read here. (link to https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title8.01/chapter3/section8.01-53/)

At Munro Byrd, P.C., we have litigated many wrongful death cases to settlement or successful verdict, helping families overcome pain and loss. Wrongful death cases require skilled proof of why a negligent person or company is responsible. They often require more complex evidence, including experts who can evaluate the medical causation or losses of economic support. Most importantly, your lawyer must take the time to get to know each beneficiary personally. Each person has a unique relationship with the person who has died, so each beneficiary has unique evidence of that loss.

If you are interested in discussing a potential wrongful death lawsuit, call us. We will answer your questions without charge, and discuss how we can help your family move forward.