When a loved one dies, your whole world may feel like it’s crumbling around you. In a moment, everything you planned, and all your future dreams may vanish. If your loved one was a provider for the family, you may find yourself faced with mounting debt and bills at a time when you don’t know where to turn. When you realize that another person’s negligence caused your loved one’s death, you may experience a wide range of emotions. Anger, sadness, guilt, and fear can prevent you from moving forward or knowing where to turn for help.
During this time, you may find that you have more questions than answers.
- Will they bear responsibility?
- How could this happen?
- Who will pay for the funeral expenses?
- How can I support myself and my children without my loved one here?
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we know that you have questions and fears after the loss of your loved one. We can help address those fears and find you the answers you need. Our Zephyrhills wrongful death lawyers know that you need money to pay your rent, utilities, and other expenses during this time. We also know that you need help paying for funeral and burial costs, as well as many other expenses. That is why we offer compassionate legal support during this time. We can hold negligent parties accountable for your loved one’s death and ensure that you and your family have the financial protection you need to move forward into the future.
Contact our experienced Zephyrhills wrongful death attorneys today to learn more about the options available to you. We want to help by offering you a free initial consultation, so we can meet with you and learn more about your situation.
Where Compassion and Experience Come Together
After the loss of a loved one, you need a law firm on your side. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we want to be that law firm. We believe that grieving families need both compassion and aggressive legal representation during this difficult time. That is why we offer our services on a contingency basis. That means that you do not pay us unless we can collect money for you. This allows all families to seek justice—no matter what.
Founder and managing partner Nicolette Nicoletti knows the issues and complications Zephyrhills families can face. That is because she works and lives in the community and has been a strong legal advocate for many families in the area over the years. Her experience and dedication to Zephyrhills and to families who suffered tragic losses is one reason so many families choose Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers for their wrongful death cases.
When you face the unimaginable, you need to know that you have a law firm on your side with experience, compassion, and dedication. You need to trust that they have your best interest in mind and that they fight for you and your future. When you have this trust, you can rest easier knowing you have a team in your corner. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we want to be that team. We know that your time is better spent caring for your family and rebuilding your future. That is why we want to take some of the burdens off of you and handle the legal issues so you don’t have to.
Wrongful Death in Zephyrhills
Not every accidental death is a wrongful death. Florida’s law is specific when it comes to wrongful death. A wrongful death occurs when a person loses their life because of the carelessness or negligence of another person or entity. When this happens, grieving families can seek compensation for their losses and for the pain and suffering they must now endure. However, this is not easy. Filing a wrongful death lawsuit in Zephyrhills, Florida is difficult without the help of an experienced attorney who understands Florida’s wrongful death laws and statutes.
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our lawyers have years of experience helping families seek justice after the loss of a loved one. To do this, we begin by meeting with you to learn more about your loved one, the accident, and the issues you face. We take the time to listen to you and your story, so we can better help you through this ordeal.
After you choose us to represent you and your family, we will begin building your case. We do this by establishing four key elements.
- That the person or business owed your loved one a duty of care
- They breached this duty of care
- Your loved one lost their life as a result of this breach
- You or surviving family members suffered damages because of this breach and subsequent death of your loved one.
It is important to realize that a wrongful death claim is a civil action. That means that you must seek compensation in the civil courts. This claim does not punish the person responsible in a criminal court. The responsible party can face both criminal charges and civil charges simultaneously.
For example, after a DUI, the drunk driver will likely face DUI charges, as well as vehicular manslaughter charges. While this seeks to punish the driver for the crime they committed and their negligence, it does not seek to compensate the victim’s family. As such, you and your family must also file a wrongful death claim to recover damages.
After a Wrongful Death Act Quickly!
Florida’s wrongful death law is specific. Only certain family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit to collect compensation. Those family members can include spouses, children, and sometimes parents of the deceased. If there are no surviving parents, children, or spouses, the law does allow for other family members to file a wrongful death claim. However, this depends on their relationship and level of dependence on the deceased.
When you lose a loved one, you may find it difficult to even get out of bed. Yet, during this time of immense grief, valuable evidence can go missing or even get destroyed. As such, it is important to contact an experienced Zephyrhills wrongful death lawyer quickly. Once you retain their services, they can begin gathering evidence and building your case.
In Florida, families only have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. In some cases, you may have even less time to file a lawsuit. It is not a good idea to miss this deadline. If you do not file a lawsuit within the time frame, you may not seek future damages. There are exceptions to this law, however. As such, even if you believe you missed the deadline, we encourage you to reach out to our firm for more information.
Causes of Wrongful Death in Zephyrhills
In Zephyrhills, there are many causes of wrongful death. From assaults to drunk driving accidents, fatal accidents occur more frequently than many people realize. Here are the most common causes of wrongful death in Zephyrhills:
Motor vehicle accidents. In Zephyrhills and Pasco County just over 100 motor vehicle fatalities occur here every year. Of those drunk and drugged drivers caused roughly 20-25 of those fatalities.
Types of motor vehicle accidents that result in fatalities include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
Premises liability accidents. In Zephyrhills, premises liability accidents account for many fatalities. Anytime someone suffers a fatal injury on another person’s property, families may find they can file a wrongful death claim.
Examples of premises liability accidents that could result in fatalities include:
- Swimming pool drownings
- Assaults and homicides
- Slip and fall accidents
Workplace Accidents. Businesses and companies have a responsibility to keep their employees safe and provide a hazard-free work environment. When they fail to do so, they can find themselves facing a wrongful death lawsuit.
Some of the most common types of fatal workplace accidents involve:
- Construction site accidents
- Machinery accidents
- Assembly line or production line accidents
- Heavy equipment accidents
Medical malpractice. Medical errors cause more than 5,000 deaths in Florida every year. Negligent doctors, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions can and should face accountability when they cause a fatality.
Some of the most common medical malpractice wrongful death claims involve:
- Surgical errors
- Medication mistakes
- Wrong diagnosis or misdiagnosis
- Failure to monitor
Device defects. Manufacturers also have a responsibility to ensure that their products are safe for consumer use. When products contain defects, they can malfunction and cause devastating injuries.
Some of the most common defective device wrongful deaths include:
- Tire defects
- Steering component defects
- Child product defects
- Equipment defects
- Medical device defects
How Can We Help?
At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, our wrongful death lawyers know the hospitals, businesses, and workplaces in Zephyrhills and throughout Pasco County. When families lose a loved one to negligence, we are ready to step up and assist them with all legal matters. From the beginning, we investigate the cause of your loved one’s death to identify ALL responsible parties. In many cases, families feel surprised to learn that many different entities bear liability for the death of their loved one.
Once we identify all negligent parties, we file a wrongful death claim to help grieving families obtain money to pay for:
- Their loved one’s past medical expenses
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of earnings and benefits
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of emotional support or guidance
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
We do this by building a solid case against the negligent party. We also show insurance companies and courts how the loss of your loved one impacted your life. How has it affected your children’s lives or your ability to provide adequately for yourself and your family? We assist you in collecting all supporting documents needed to show the losses you suffered. This may include financial records, debts, bills, receipts, tax filings, and benefits packages. It may also include gathering testimony from friends and family members, as well as first-hand testimony from you.
We use all the tools and resources at our disposal to fight for you during this time. We know that every case is different. As such, we use a personalized and unique approach when negotiating your case. While our Zephyrhills wrongful death lawyers make every attempt to settle your case out of court, we are not afraid to enter into litigation when insurance companies refuse to play fair. This gives you the peace of mind you need. After all, when you choose Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, you have a team of experienced and skilled negotiators and litigators on your side.
We know that no amount of money can ever replace what you have lost. However, our law firm wants you and your family to move forward into the future unencumbered by financial debt and burdens. You have enough to carry during this difficult time - let us carry some of the legal burdens for you. If you are unsure of how to proceed or about litigation, we can help put your mind at ease. We want you to feel comfortable every step of the way and our lawyers are here to guide you and support you during this time.
Contact Our Zephyrhills Wrongful Death Attorneys
After the loss of a loved one in Zephyrhills, New Port Richey, or anywhere in the Tampa area, you deserve support. At Nicoletti Accident Injury Lawyers, we know that grieving families have too much on their plate to tackle legal issues. That is why we offer compassionate support and legal guidance every step of the way. Our Zephyrhills personal injury lawyers have the experience and resources needed to battle insurers and negligent parties.
To learn more, call us at (727) 845-5972 or fill out our confidential contact form. We know that no amount of compensation could ever make you whole again, but you and your family should not suffer financially during this time. Call us today and let’s talk. We are here for you.