Losing a loved one is an incredibly difficult experience, especially when the loss is sudden and due to preventable circumstances. Wrongful death incidents can result from a variety of causes, including accidents at work, vehicle collisions, and medical malpractice.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand the deep impact a wrongful death can have on families. Our Roseville wrongful death lawyers are dedicated to offering empathetic support and legal advice during this difficult period and securing the justice and compensation your family deserves.
Injured in Roseville? Get Nicolet.
Why Choose Nicolet Law's Roseville Wrongful Death Lawyers?
Since Russell Nicolet founded our firm in 2007, Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers have been known for compassionate and effective legal representation. Our growth and success throughout the Midwest reflect our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of our clients.
Located conveniently near Midland Hills Golf Course, our Roseville office is a private and inviting space for families seeking top-tier legal services in their time of need.
Wrongful Death Compensation
A loved one's wrongful death is not only emotionally devastating but can also bring serious financial and practical challenges. At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we know the wrongful death claims process. We are committed to guiding our clients through every step to ensure they receive the comprehensive compensation they are entitled to.
Here’s a look at each type of compensation we aim to secure for our clients:
Medical and Funeral Expenses
The sudden and tragic loss of a loved one can bring unexpected and substantial financial burdens. The costs for medical care received before their passing, alongside funeral and burial expenses, can quickly accumulate, creating a heavy financial strain during a time of grief.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we thoroughly document every expense related to your loved one's care and final arrangements. This documentation involves collaborating with healthcare providers, funeral homes, and other professionals.
Our goal in this detailed process is to secure compensation that covers every expense, down to the last cent, to alleviate your financial pressures. Whether it's the ambulance fees, hospital bills, costs for medical treatments, or the expenses for a dignified funeral and burial, we strive to ensure these financial burdens do not add to your family's emotional distress.
Our attorneys are dedicated to providing you the space to grieve and remember your loved one without the added worry of financial hardship.
Loss of Income and Support
The impact of losing a primary earner in a family can be devastating, affecting both the immediate and long-term financial security of the bereaved. The absence of a loved one's income, benefits, and the various supports they provided can leave a significant void.
Recognizing the importance of these contributions, our team at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers is committed to securing compensation that reflects not only the immediate loss of income but also the future earnings and benefits the deceased would have contributed to their family over time.
We conduct an in-depth analysis to accurately quantify these losses, incorporating factors such as the deceased's earning capacity, career trajectory, benefits, and the non-financial supports they provided, such as childcare, household management, and elder care.
Our approach ensures that the compensation we seek addresses the full scope of the economic and non-economic contributions your loved one made, helping to secure your family's financial stability and honor the support your loved one provided.
Pain and Suffering of the Deceased
The pain and suffering endured by your loved one before their untimely passing is a deeply personal and significant aspect of your wrongful death claim.
This non-economic damage, while intangible, is a crucial component of the compensation we pursue. Our attorneys are skilled at articulating the scope of this suffering, translating the physical pain and emotional distress into a compelling argument for compensation.
We work with medical experts to document the extent of the pain and any suffering experienced, ensuring that this aspect of their ordeal is fully recognized and compensated. By advocating for these damages, we aim to acknowledge the severity of your loved one's suffering and secure a measure of justice for the undue pain they endured.
Loss of Consortium and Companionship
The loss of consortium and companionship includes the profound emotional and relational losses suffered by spouses, children, and other close family members. These losses include the absence of love, companionship, guidance, care, protection, and other emotional support that the deceased provided.
The loss of a family member brings about an irreplaceable void in the lives of those left behind.
At Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand the deep impact of these losses and are committed to securing compensation that acknowledges the full breadth of the emotional and relational void left by your loved one's passing.
This compensation recognizes the value of the lost relationships and the impact on the quality of life for the bereaved, providing a form of recognition for the depth of their loss.
Punitive Damages
In cases where the circumstances surrounding your loved one's death were particularly egregious or resulted from reckless behavior, we might pursue punitive damages. These damages are distinct in that they punish the responsible party for their wrongful actions and to serve as a deterrent against similar future conduct.
While punitive damages are not applicable in all wrongful death cases, our attorneys will carefully evaluate the specifics of your case to determine if such damages are warranted.
Pursuing punitive damages requires a detailed examination of the actions leading to your loved one's death, demonstrating a level of misconduct that goes beyond ordinary negligence.
Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers provide the dedicated legal support and advocacy you need during this challenging time in every aspect of your wrongful death claim. Our commitment is to ensure that every aspect of your loss is recognized and compensated, allowing your family to focus on healing and honoring the memory of your loved one.
Common Causes of Wrongful Death in Roseville
Wrongful death in Roseville can occur under several circumstances, including:
Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle accidents, including car, motorcycle, and pedestrian incidents, are among the leading causes of wrongful death cases due to negligent driving.
Negligent behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and failing to obey traffic laws can lead to tragic accidents with fatal consequences. The impact of these accidents extends beyond the immediate physical injuries, affecting families and communities as a whole.
In pursuing a wrongful death claim arising from a vehicle accident, we must establish the negligence of the other party involved. This process involves gathering evidence such as police reports, witness statements, traffic camera footage, and expert testimony regarding the circumstances of the accident.
Our legal team at Nicolet Law focuses on proving that the negligent actions of the driver directly resulted in fatal injuries, seeking compensation for the victim's family to cover medical and funeral expenses, loss of income and support, and the emotional suffering they endure.
Workplace Accidents
Workplace accidents, particularly in high-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, and mining, can lead to wrongful death due to inadequate safety measures, equipment failures, or other forms of negligence by third parties on work sites. Commercial drivers can also die in fatal accidents due to other negligent drivers, cargo loading crews, maintenance teams, and others.
In these cases, the focus is on proving that the employer or another third party’s negligence or or intentional misconduct contributed to the accident. This might involve investigating safety practices, equipment maintenance records, and compliance with industry regulations.
Compensation in workplace accident cases aims to cover the economic losses suffered by the family when their loved one went to work and never came home due to the negligence of someone else.
Premises Liability
Fatal accidents resulting from unsafe conditions on property are addressed under premises liability law. Property owners, both public and private, have a responsibility to ensure their premises are safe for visitors.
This includes addressing potential hazards like slippery floors, unstable structures, inadequate security, or dangerous conditions that can lead to accidents.
In these cases, establishing the property owner's negligence involves showing that they were aware of (or should have been aware of) the dangerous condition and failed to take appropriate action to remedy it.
Legal representation in premises liability cases focuses on securing compensation for the bereaved family that addresses the full scope of their losses, from the financial burden of funeral and medical expenses to the profound emotional impact of their loved one's untimely death.
Fighting Against the Insurance Companies
Insurance companies, trying to minimize financial losses, often use various strategies to deny or devalue wrongful death. Understanding these tactics is important for families seeking justice and compensation for their loss.
Here's a detailed look at some of the common ways insurance companies may try to undermine wrongful death claims:
Questioning the Cause of Death
Insurance companies might attempt to challenge the connection between the defendant's actions and the victim's death. By questioning the cause of death, they aim to create doubt about the liability of their policyholder.
This can involve scrutinizing medical records, autopsy reports, and the circumstances surrounding the death to find alternative explanations for the fatality to absolve them from responsibility.
Disputing Liability
Another common tactic is disputing the liability for the wrongful death altogether.
The insurance company may argue that their policyholder was not at fault, or they may try to shift some or all of the blame onto the victim or a third party. This can include suggesting that the deceased contributed to their own death through negligent behavior or that an unrelated factor was the primary cause.
Disputing liability aims to reduce the insurer's payout by diminishing their client's role in the incident.
Minimizing the Value of Claims
Insurance companies frequently seek to minimize the value of claims by underestimating the financial impact of the death on the surviving family members.
They may offer settlements that fail to fully account for the lost income, medical expenses incurred before death, funeral costs, and the non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and emotional distress experienced by the family.
This tactic relies on the assumption that families, in their vulnerable state, may accept a lower offer to avoid prolonged legal battles.
Delaying the Claims Process
Delay tactics are a strategy used by some insurers to pressure the bereaved into settling for less.
By prolonging the claims process, they exploit the financial and emotional strain on the family, hoping that the need for immediate financial relief will lead to accepting a lower settlement. This can involve excessive requests for documentation, slow responses to inquiries, or unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Challenging the Relationship and Damages
Insurers may also scrutinize the relationship between the deceased and the claimants to challenge the extent of the damages claimed. They might question the closeness of the relationship to minimize non-economic damages like loss of consortium or emotional support.
This tactic seeks to reduce the perceived impact of the death on the family, thereby lowering the compensation they might be obligated to pay.
Offering Quick, Low Settlements
One of the earliest strategies insurance companies might use is to offer a quick settlement to the family. These initial offers are often significantly lower than what the claim is truly worth. The strategy preys on the family's immediate need for closure and financial support, hoping they accept the offer without fully understanding the comprehensive value of their claim or consulting with legal representation.
What to Do After a Wrongful Death in Roseville
In the wake of a wrongful death:
- Seek Legal Advice Immediately: Hiring a Roseville wrongful death lawyer as soon as possible is advised. Our team can provide the guidance and support you need during this difficult time.
- Document Everything: Keep records of all expenses, communications, and events related to the incident and your loved one's passing.
- Avoid Signing Anything Without Legal Counsel: Insurance companies may offer settlements quickly. Consult with your lawyer to ensure any agreement is fair and just.
Contact a Roseville Wrongful Death Lawyer at Nicolet Law
You're not alone in this journey. Our Roseville personal injury attorneys offer tailored and compassionate legal assistance, prioritizing your individual requirements and striving for the optimal resolution for your case.
Contact Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers in Roseville at (651) 867-4853 to schedule your consultation. We're here to listen, support, and advocate for you and your family every step of the way.
Roseville Office
Address:1700 S Hwy 36 Service Dr #220,
Roseville, MN 55113
Phone:1-855-642-6538