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Losing a loved one in a wrongful death accident can become more than a battle with grief. Often, these claims become legal battles, reviewing fault, negotiating claims, and still trying to process how you’ll move forward without your loved one. No one should have to bury a family member because of someone else’s negligence. But if you do, don’t take on the legal system alone. Instead, call the Bethesda wrongful death lawyers of Regan Zambri Long.
Wrongful death cases in Maryland involve complex legal standards and strict deadlines that can affect your family’s right to compensation. Our experienced personal injury attorneys understand the state’s wrongful death statute and can help you navigate the legal process while protecting your family’s interests.
We work tirelessly to hold negligent parties accountable and secure the full compensation your family deserves. As experienced personal injury attorneys, our law offices will give your case the compassion and commitment it needs to be resolved while you focus on healing your family. For a no-obligation, free consultation, contact the Bethesda wrongful death lawyers now.
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It’s not always easy to find a law firm that knows how to handle a Bethesda, Maryland, wrongful death case, especially with how complicated these cases can be. At Regan Zambri Long PLLC, our team has years of experience handling the most complex wrongful death cases in the Washington Metropolitan Area, including Bethesda.
What makes our law firm different is our extensive knowledge and access to industry experts who can help strengthen your wrongful death claim and get you the fair settlement you’re entitled to.
The Bethesda personal injury law firm of Regan Zambri Long has secured millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for the families of wrongful death victims, and we do it with compassion and dedication. We tap into every outlet we have, contacting experts for witness statements, uncovering evidence the other party may not want you to find, and working with recreation specialists if needed to establish fault.
We understand that losing a loved one can lead to both financial and emotional losses. Our goal is to help you recover maximum compensation for these hardships, including lost income, funeral expenses, and the pain of losing companionship.
And all of this comes at no upfront cost to you. Instead, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing until a settlement or verdict is reached. And if we don’t win, you don’t pay.
Under Maryland law, wrongful deaths are caused by “an act, neglect, or default including a felonious act which would have entitled the party injured to maintain an action and recover damages if death had not ensued.”
In Maryland, two types of claims can be filed: survival actions and wrongful death actions.
Survival action claims are made by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate. They seek compensation for the harm the deceased suffered between the time of injury and death, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Any money recovered from a survival action goes to the deceased person’s estate and is distributed according to their will or state law if there’s no will.
Wrongful death claims are filed by the deceased person’s close family members, like their spouse, children, or parents. They are meant to compensate them for their personal losses due to their loved one’s death. These can include emotional pain, loss of companionship, and financial support they would have received. The money awarded from this claim goes directly to the family members.
In Bethesda, MD, some of the most common causes of wrongful death include:
If someone believes they’ve been harmed due to medical malpractice, the rules of Maryland say they generally have up to five years from the mistake or three years from when they discovered the injury—whichever comes first—to file a lawsuit. For example, if a surgical mistake isn’t discovered until years later, the three-year clock starts at the time of discovery. However, no legal action can be filed more than five years after the mistake occurred, even if the injury was discovered later.
Special rules apply for minors: if the injured person was under 11 years old when the injury happened, the time limit starts when they turn 11. In cases involving injuries to the reproductive system or foreign objects left in the body, the limit starts at age 16 if the person was under 16 at the time of injury.
If an occupational disease causes a person’s death, a lawsuit must be filed within the shorter of two timeframes: either within 10 years from the date of death or within three years from the date when the occupational disease was identified as the cause of death.
Under Maryland law, any possible beneficiary may file a wrongful death lawsuit–even if the primary beneficiary chooses not to. The following parties may file a wrongful death or survival action under Maryland law:
Whether a primary or secondary beneficiary brings forth the wrongful death or survival action, the filing parties must make a good faith effort to notify potential claimants of their right to participate in the claim. Once an effort has been made to notify all parties, the claim can move forward.
It’s important to know that adding more beneficiaries to a claim will not reduce the amount of compensation given to each party. In Maryland, the courts determine the compensation amount for each beneficiary rather than coming up with a lump sum amount.
Proving wrongful death takes a dedicated level of care from your legal team. The elements of negligence that must be proven in a Bethesda wrongful death claim include:
Proving these elements can be difficult, so you’ll benefit from a Bethesda wrongful death attorney’s legal representation.
If you are successful in your Bethesda wrongful death lawsuit, you may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages for your loss. The damages you may be able to recover include:
Under Maryland law, there is a cap on non-economic damages you may be entitled to. The cap will adjust depending on the number of beneficiaries named in the lawsuit. The value of the cap changes every October 1st, so keep that in mind when filing a wrongful death claim, as that can impact the amount of compensation you recover.
Punitive damages are rare and only awarded when the defendant’s negligence demonstrates they acted with intentional harm or extreme recklessness. These damages are not meant to compensate the victim’s family but to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future. Maryland doesn’t cap punitive damages, allowing for potentially significant awards in the most serious situations.
If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person or entity in Bethesda, MD, or anywhere in the Washington Metropolitan Area, call the personal injury attorneys of Regan Zambri Long. Our personal injury lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience in personal injury law. We can utilize that experience and in-depth knowledge to seek justice and financial compensation for your family.
A loved one’s death under any circumstances is devastating to a family, but when you know that death could have been prevented, you deserve to hold those parties accountable. The financial strain on your family isn’t something you should be left to deal with, not when it was preventable.
We understand that no settlement or verdict will make up for a loved one’s death, but it can help you financially regroup following their death. Don’t handle these complex cases alone.
For a no-obligation, free consultation, contact the Bethesda wrongful death attorneys of Regan Zambri Long today. The statute of limitations has begun; do not wait to call us for a case evaluation.
Have you or your loved one sustained injuries in Washington DC, Maryland or Virginia? Regan Zambri Long PLLC has the best lawyers in the country to analyze your case and answer the questions you may have.