Losing loved ones is always difficult. Yet, people may take comfort in knowing their deceased family and friends lived a long, full life or that they passed away without suffering. However, when preventable death occurs, the grief can be even more poignant.
Financial worries can compound your grief if you relied on your loved one for economic support.
In Columbia, Tennessee, laws protect the families of wrongful death victims. Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers can pursue much-needed compensation if you have an eligible claim. To learn how to qualify, call us at (800) 800-4600 for a free case review.
Your Rights to a Maury County, TN Wrongful Death Claim
After an accident, it’s important to know your rights. When negligence or recklessness causes an untimely death, the surviving family can pursue wrongful death actions against responsible parties (i.e. individuals, organizations).
Qualifying relationships include:
- Spouses
- Children
- Parents
- Next of kin
- Personal representatives
Families are not always easily defined. If your family situation is less traditional, a personal injury lawyer can help you determine your eligibility. Call (800) 800-4600 for a free, confidential wrongful death lawyer case review any time, day or night.
Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers Are Ready To Represent You
Personal injury lawyers with a firm grasp of wrongful death law can defend your rights. Our law firm has proudly served Tennessee residents since 1985 in various practice areas.
Auto accidents
Motor vehicle accidents remain a leading cause of wrongful death accidents in Tennessee. In 2019, there were 18 traffic fatalities in Maury County alone. Some of these crashes might have been unfortunate accidents with no one to blame. Yet, in others, negligence or reckless driving took an innocent person’s life.
When you get behind the wheel of a car, it is with the expectation that you will operate your vehicle safely. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is one example of negligent acts that put others at risk. Reckless driving encompasses careless or malicious acts that endanger motorists and pedestrians. Breaking speed limits, running red lights, or illegally using your cell phone could be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit.
Birth injuries
When something goes wrong during delivery or aftercare, the joy of new parents can turn quickly into heartbreak. Some birth injuries are minor, while others cause permanent disabilities or death. If you suspect your baby’s death was related to a preventable birth injury, please speak to one of our experienced wrongful death lawyers at (800) 800-4600.
Some potential wrongful death birth injuries are:
- Breech deliveries
- Botched cesarean deliveries
- Cranial fractures
- Forceps injuries
- Infections
- Internal bleeding
- Perinatal asphyxia
- Spinal cord damage
Defective medical devices
Every year, hundreds of thousands of reports pour into the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) medical device reporting system. Defective medical devices can cause serious injuries and death when they malfunction. Problems with medical devices might include electrical failures, exploded implants, or complications with prostheses.
Please contact us if your loved one died after a medical device failure. We offer free initial consultations to Maury County residents because we know how painful it is not to know the truth about what caused your family member’s premature death.
Drug side effects
The FDA requires pharmaceutical companies to label drugs with information about dosage, potential side effects, and drug interactions. Even with correct labeling, some dangerous medications are recalled because they cause severe injuries or wrongful death.
As a result of defective drugs, people have experienced strokes, kidney failure, cardiac problems, and other death-dealing health conditions. Some drugs can even cause feelings of depression and anxiety that contribute to suicides. To learn about specific drug recalls and their negative consequences, please consult our drug injury page and the FDA website.
Medical malpractice
United States law allows patients to take legal action when a medical professional’s actions (or lack of action) results in harm. Our law firm can determine if your experience in a Tennessee hospital or rehabilitation facility meets the major characteristics of medical malpractice, namely:
- Causation: The doctor’s act or omission resulted in an adverse outcome. For example, if a clinician fails to diagnose sepsis and the patient dies from lack of treatment, he or she might be held responsible under Tennessee law for the omission.
- Duty: The physician must have been responsible for the patient. You cannot sue a doctor unless your loved one was under his or her care.
- Negligence: All medical professionals need to perform according to specific standards of care. Their actions should reflect training and experience. Wrong-site surgeries and contaminated work environments are examples of potential violations of healthcare standards.
- Significance: The harm or injury must be serious enough to merit legal consequences. When the patient dies, this requirement would be met. Yet, your lawyer will have to prove that the death was directly related to medical malpractice.
Claims of nursing home neglect and abuse must also meet these criterias. If a Tennessee doctor, nurse, or caregiver failed your family member, fill out our brief contact form to schedule an appointment with a compassionate wrongful death lawyer.
Premises liability
The upkeep of a Tennessee property can mean the difference between life and death. Maury County property laws require landowners to maintain their premises in a safe condition. Obstacles and hazards should be marked with clear warning signs.
We can protect your rights if your loved one died in relation to:
- Disease related to asbestos, beryllium, benzene, lead, or other environmental toxins
- Slip-and-fall accident
- Swimming pool accident
- Fire
- Dog bite
- Elevator or escalator accident
- Flood
- Toxic fumes
Our team of competent wrongful death attorneys also handles other types of cases. Submit a convenient contact form now for a free consultation or read our client reviews to learn how we have recovered over a billion dollars in personal injury damages since 1985.
Why Contact a Hughes & Coleman Wrongful Death Lawyer As Soon As Possible
Getting started on your wrongful death claim soon after the incident is advisable if you want to maximize your compensation. In Tennessee, you could receive damages, such as funeral costs, medical bills, and compensation for loss of financial support and companionship.
Yet, to collect anything at all, you must meet the strict deadlines. Insurance companies set deadlines to receive applications and supporting documents. Tennessee state law requires wrongful death claims to be filed within a certain period after the death of a family member.
It is time to pursue justice for your deceased family member and to get relief from your financial burdens. To ensure our wrongful death lawyers have time to investigate and build your case, visit our law office at 622 W. 7th St., Columbia, TN, 38401 or call us (931) 203-8387.