What Should You Never Do During A Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

People who lose a loved one to an accident caused by another person or entity may want to talk to a Portland wrongful death lawyer in their area to file a lawsuit. However, there are things that can go wrong with the case if you do any of the things mentioned below. 

Fighting With Your Family over Money

Losing someone in an accident is devastating and emotions will probably run high. This is a time when you need to make a lot of personal and financial decisions and everyone is stressed. However, it’s really important to not argue with family over anything because it can just make everything worse.

Sometimes the best course of action if there are estate issues to figure out is to bring in a neutral party such as a real estate or estate lawyer to sort things out.

Talking About The Lawsuit In Public

The death of the person may get coverage in your local or even national media. Because the event is public knowledge to some extent, you may get questions from people you don’t know about what happened. If you are filing a lawsuit through Portland wrongful death lawyer, they’ll tell you not to discuss anything about the case outside of family and very close friends until the matter is settled.

Any statement you make that gets out in public could be used against you and harm the case. For example, if you lose your mother in a car accident, the case could be damaged if you told the media that the accident was partially her fault.

Not Thinking About All Liable Parties

This is another reason to always consult a Portland wrongful death lawyer about your case. You probably will not think about every potential liable party in the accident. A common example is if someone is killed in a tractor-trailer accident.

If the trucker is at fault, it’s also possible to sue the trucking company or the contractor that hired the trucker. There could be a lot of money available that the layperson doesn’t know. 

How Can You Help Your Wrongful Death Lawyer?

If your loved one was killed in an accident because of someone’s negligence, you may have hired a Portland wrongful death lawyer. Your attorney will review the case and determine if you have the right to receive damages if another person caused the death.

First, you should speak to a Portland wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible after your loved one dies. A wrongful death case is complicated and it takes a lot of evidence and time to prove that another person was responsible for the deceased’s death. You only have three years from the date of the death to file a claim, but sooner is always better.

Second, you should always tell the truth to your Portland wrongful death lawyer. Sometimes the family doesn’t tell the entire story to their attorney because they think it could affect their compensation. Maybe the deceased was partially at fault for the accident. Even if that is the case, you should always tell the full truth to your lawyer. Your attorney can build the case with any weak points in mind if they know about them well in advance. The case could be ruined if the Portland wrongful death lawyer is blindsided by something during settlement negotiations.

Third, you should not talk about the case with anyone other than your immediate family and your attorney. You may be tempted to talk about the case to the media or post online. Doing so is always a mistake. You could say something that damages your case, such as talking about the deceased being partially at fault. It is preferable to not say anything publicly about the case until it is resolved in court or through a settlement. 

What You Must Know About Wrongful Death Lawsuits

The last thing anyone wants to do is file a wrongful death lawsuit. But if your loved one dies because of someone’s negligence, you should understand everything about wrongful death lawyers. If you did lose someone recently and another party caused the accident, talk to a wrongful death lawyer in Portland right away. 

First, it is very important to file the lawsuit within the statute of limitations. If you do not do so, you cannot file suit. In Oregon, you must file a wrongful death claim within three years of the death. Contact your wrongful death lawyer Portland quickly to ensure that they have enough time to build a strong case.

Second, when you hire your attorney, the first thing they will focus on is pre-litigation. This process entails checking if your loved one had an estate, which could involve checking at the county courthouse. Second, your attorney will investigate the accident to find out why the person died. It is important to understand the cause of death and whether it can be proven that another person caused it. 

Third, your attorney will look for evidence that can be used to connect the defendant to the accident. If a preponderance of the evidence shows that the defendant was involved in the death, you could receive compensation in the claim.

Fourth, understand that most wrongful death claims end in a settlement. Your wrongful death lawyer in Portland will focus on negotiating the best settlement for you by proving that the defendant caused the death. However, if the insurance company doesn’t offer a fair settlement, your attorney will be ready to take it to trial.

Now that you understand important aspects of wrongful death claims, have your case looked over by a wrongful death lawyer in Portland as soon as you can.