Wrongful Death Attorney

With Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law, Attorney Bodnar represents clients that have had a loved one die as a result of someone else’s negligent or careless behavior. When a family member passes away, it is a stressful and emotional experience. If the death was unexpected and the result of an accident, it can be even more difficult as a family was left without the preparation that normally occurs when someone is sick. This often leaves families throughout Pennsylvania without the means to provide for themselves like they were when that person was alive. I understand the emotional and financial difficulty this causes and work to help families throughout the 15219 area get the compensation they deserve for both pain and suffering and the loss of wages. If you or someone you know needs a wrongful death attorney, call 412-804-4048 to schedule a consultation.

Do you have a wrongful death claim?

In order to have a wrongful death claim in Pittsburgh, PA someone close to you needs to have died as the result of something that someone else did. The goal is to prove that the individual, company, or manufacturer was negligent, and that negligence led to the person’s death. For example, if they were killed in a construction accident, someone else would have contributed to the events leading up to their death. If, however, they died by their own carelessness like reckless driving, there would be no one to sue.

Quite regularly, the family left behind suffers. This is typically very easy to prove because in most cases the deceased was working or collecting some other form of income that contributed to paying the household expenses. A loss of their income would make it difficult for their family to meet their obligations, showing clear financial harm. In Pennsylvania, if the deceased had children that did not live with them, but were receiving child support, this would still be considered direct financial harm. If you are unsure if you meet these guidelines, Kim A. Bodnar can review your case and provide further guidance.

The deceased also needs to have a close relative that is still alive. This may include their spouse, children, or other close beneficiaries. If the person who died was under the age of 18, their parent can file a wrongful death lawsuit. Sometimes grandparents are also permitted to sue but on a limited basis. The lawsuit is brought on behalf of these individuals since they were the ones directly harmed.

Common wrongful death cases

As a wrongful death attorney, Kim A. Bodnar frequently speaks with people that have lost a loved one due to a car accident. With increased safety measures, the number of fatalities due to car wrecks has decreased but they still happen all too frequently. If your loved one has died in a car accident in Pennsylvania, you may have a wrongful death claim. Whether or not you do is based on the specifics of the case. For example, if they were driving while intoxicated, it probably isn’t a wrongful death case. If, however, they were killed when a semi-truck lost control and ran into them, a wrongful death claim may exist. The key is always to prove that the other party was negligent and therefore responsible for your loved ones’ death. By reviewing the accident report, Kim A. Bodnar can make a recommendation on whether or not you should proceed by filing a claim.

Another common reason for filing a wrongful death suit is when a doctor or medical professional is negligent, and that leads to death. This can happen fairly frequently. People located in every Pennsylvania county or Florida county can get misdiagnosed, have a prescription given in the wrong dosage or be discharged from the hospital quickly leading them to become sick and die later on. Those people living in Allegheny County or treated in Allegheny County may have to asset their claims by filing a lawsuit with the Department of Court Records located in zip code 15219. These are a few ways that a medical provider can make a mistake, and their negligence can lead to irreparable harm.

Holding people accountable

At the Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law when I file a wrongful death claim, I am playing an important role in holding the guilty party accountable. When a company or individual causes someone to die due to their behavior or overall negligence, they need to be held accountable. If they aren’t then another accident is likely to occur, and more people will die. Suing someone is one way to ensure that their bad behavior stops because it forces them to have consequences for what they have done. These lawsuits are often responsible for changing policies and procedures that end up benefiting the public. A well-known example of this is within the tobacco industry. They were selling cigarettes for years without any warning labels, knowing that they were harmful to people’s health. It took a massive lawsuit to change the industry and create a marketing fund so that the public could be educated about the dangers of smoking. If they were not forced by law to comply and forced to pay these fines, the warning labels and tobacco education programs I have today would not exist. Even if you don’t want to file a suit for your own personal gain, consider how many people you could help by causing the company to change how they operate.

Compensation

As a wrongful death attorney, Kim A. Bodnar will fight to make sure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation so that you and your family are taken care of after the death of your loved one. This is particularly important when children are involved, and the persons’ death has made it difficult or impossible to keep up with the bills. Whether you are struggling to pay tuition or facing foreclosure, at the Kim A. Bodnar, Attorney at Law I can communicate with your creditors and try to ease the burden pending trial. Much of the time they will pause trying to collect until the case is settled. Prior to going to court Kim A. Bodnar will conduct research to determine the amount of financial loss that your family has suffered as a result of the death and build a case for why you are entitled to it.

Consultation

If you live in the 15219 area or throughout PA call 412-804-4048 and schedule a consultation. Kim A. Bodnar will meet with you, review your case, and discuss the best way to proceed in filing your wrongful death claim.

Car Accident Attorney > Personal Injury Attorney > Wrongful Death Attorney