The death of a spouse, parent, or child is devastating beyond words - particularly if it occurred in an auto or truck accident which should have been prevented. In a wrongful death case, the emotional and financial tolls on surviving family members are immense. Virginia's legal system is challenging, and surviving family members may not be able to "go it alone" against the wrongdoer's insurance company.
Our job: to protect your family and guide your case to the best result possible. It's the highest role of an advocate.
The Difficult Valuation Of A Wrongful Death in Virginia
For survivors, the consequences of a wrongful death case are typically divided as follows:
First are economic damages, comprised of medical expenses, funeral expenses, and lost income of the deceased victim. Of these, the lost income portion is often the greatest, especially where the victim was the provider for a family and is leaving a surviving spouse or children. In these cases, we work closely with economic and vocational experts to correctly project lost future earnings and surviving family members' true economic damages. This alone can be tremendous.
Second, are the devastating emotional damages experienced by survivors. These include the obvious grief, anguish, sorrow and the loss of the deceased victim’s companionship which is felt by the surviving family members.
Third, but not as common, are punitive damages. This type of damage recovery is usually reserved for cases involving the worst type of wrongdoing, such as drunk driving or intentional wrongdoing. Under Virginia law, punitive damages are intended to serve as additional compensation to injured victims in order to punish the wrongdoer and prevent similar conduct in the future. Although relatively rare in Virginia, punitive damages may be recoverable in any specific case and play a valuable role in society in deterring the worst forms of conduct.
The Attorney You Choose Can Make A Difference
The value of any wrongful death case depends on the evidence, and may ultimately rest in a courtroom. Therefore, experience and reputation are essential. We've handled many wrongful death cases valued up to several million dollars. While most results are kept confidential, some are listed on our case results page.
If you have further questions, contact us for a free consultation. We can be your advocate.
Contact Information:
- Fatal accident injury lawyers in Warrenton, VA
- Fatal accident injury lawyers in Front Royal, VA
- Fatal accident injury lawyers in Culpeper, VA
Whether or not you choose to hire our firm, we'll give you simple, direct advice. It's the only way we know.
Client ReviewAndrew Thomas was exceptional when he helped my husband and me in a personal injury lawsuit. He was attentive, quick to respond and worked for us- not the other party. Andrew is honest, well versed in the law and takes time to discuss in detail your case. I refer him to all my clients. Written by: Natalie McArtor
Dulaney, Lauer & Thomas
 Date published: 02/12/2017
5 / 5 stars
Overall rating: ★★★★★ based on 16 reviews
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