Car Accidents and Wrongful Death

Automobile Accidents

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that a car accident occurs every few seconds in the United States, resulting in millions of serious and catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. For this reason, car accidents caused by another driver's negligence are the most common personal injury cases. Negligent activities include speeding, failing to use or observe traffic signals, driving unsafely in poor weather conditions, and inattentiveness. Other common causes of car accidents include defective products, drivers' intentional or reckless behavior, and drunk drivers.

Although car accidents are common, these cases are often complex and require an experienced attorney. Cases where the driver at fault has no insurance coverage can be even more difficult to successfully bring to court. The damages available in auto accident cases are the same as for general personal injury matters. Please see our practice areas overview page for more information regarding recoverable damages.

For information on what to do if you have been in an accident, please see our frequently asked questions page.

Wrongful Death

A wrongful death case arises when a person dies because of another person's negligence or intentional act. These cases can occur in any type ofpersonal injury incident or accident. Wrongful death cases are different from typical personal injury cases because the deceased's family, which includes his or her spouse, children, or parents, brings the lawsuit.

Recovery in wrongful death cases includes the following types of damages:

Financial costs of funeral and burial expenses
Medical expenses that were incurred before death
Deceased's lost wages, based on future earning capacity
The value of the deceased's life, apart from lost wages
Pain and suffering the deceased endured before death
Emotional distress, including loss of consortium and companionship, suffered by the surviving family members

Seek Experienced Legal Counsel

If you have been injured in a car accident, or if a loved one has died due to another's negligence or intentional act, it is critical that you contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. For a free initial consultation to discuss your case, contact the Law Office of Keith Franchini today.