Wrongful Death Attorney in Seattle, WA

Wrongful Death Lawyer, Lawsuits and Settlements in Washington

Losing a loved one due to accidental or wrongful death is a devastating experience. When a family member’s life is suddenly cut short as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another, the grief and feelings of loss can be overwhelming. If this has happened in your family, you may be going through a complex array of emotions, including sadness, denial, anger, and hopelessness. No one is ever prepared for such a tragic event. When tragedy strikes you may need the assistance of a wrongful death attorney.

When the spouse, parent, sibling or other relative of a wrongful death victim contacts our office we see their pain and know this is an emotionally challenging time. There are many questions:

Why wasn’t something done to prevent our loved one’s death?
How can we survive emotionally and financially after this tragedy?

How will we pay the medical bills and funeral costs?

Get the answers you need. Contact wrongful death lawyer Chris Davis at 206-727-4000 for a free consultation. Chris is has a great deal of experience and expertise in the area of wrongful death law.

Interview: KIRO TV Interview of Chris Davis, Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

Washington State Wrongful Death Law - Free Information for Family Members

FREE BOOK - Wrongful Death in Washington State by Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney, Chris Davis

FREE REPORT - Understanding Wrongful Death In Washington State (pdf) by Seattle Wrongful Death Lawyer, Chris Davis

Recognizing the Value of Family in Fatal Accidents

In most wrongful death cases, the estate and certain surviving family members will have a claim for damages. The estate is typically allowed to claim damages for the decedent’s lost earnings, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and conscious “pain and suffering” experienced by the decedent before death. Certain surviving family members may also have individual claims for damages as a result of the decedent’s death, including loss of consortium (i.e., destruction of the relationship) and emotional distress.

An accidental death, unintentional death, or wrongful death claim may arise when a person dies as a result of the negligent, careless, intentional or reckless acts of another person or entity (including a corporation or governmental agency). The death could occur because of a car accident, medical malpractice, an on-the-job injury, nursing home abuse or neglect, or from any other careless conduct.

Many people are surprised to learn that Washington wrongful death law only allows certain family members to recover for a wrongful death of a loved one. In most fatal accident cases, recovery is limited to a surviving spouse and children. In some death cases the decedent’s surviving siblings and parents may also have separate claims if they are financially dependent on the decedent at the time of death.

A wrongful death or survival action is one of the more complex types of cases in the field of personal injury law. These cases require a thorough knowledge and understanding of Washington’s complex wrongful death and survival laws and the numerous appellate decisions that interpret and define them. These cases almost always involve complex legal issues or questions where the outcomes are heavily, if not completely, influenced by the individual facts of the case. In most cases, a wrongful death action requires urgent investigation and preparation to increase the chances of a favorable outcome. Furthermore, this type of case often requires a substantial outlay of financial resources (many times exceeding six figures) to hire appropriate experts, properly prepare and successfully present the case either to an insurance company or a jury.

Law Firm Representing Families Touched By Wrongful Death - Free Consultations

Was your loved on fatal injured in Washington state? Want to know if you have a wrongful death claim? Want to know what your wrongful death case is worth? Want compensation for your loss? Want justice for the loss of your loved one? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else? Call 206-727-4000 to schedule a free legal consultation.

Get the legal aid that you need. Call attorney Chris Davis at Davis Law Group. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.

Call 206-727-4000 for a FREE, no obligation wrongful death consultation. There is no obligation to hire a lawyer. We are usually retained on a contingency fee basis. There is no fee until our Seattle wrongful death attorneys successfully recover fair compensation for you.

Wrongful Death Lawyers in the State of Washington

We can help whether you live in Auburn, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bremerton, Cascade, Edmonds, Everett, Federal Way, Kennewick, Kent, Kirkland, Lakewood, Longview, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, Richland, Seattle, Shoreline, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Yakima or the greater Seattle area. Having substantial experience with wrongful death claims and often trying these kinds of cases in court, the Davis Law Group has the skill, expertise and Seattle wrongful death attorneys necessary to help you.

Bellevue Wrongful Death Attorney

MORE WRONGFUL DEATH LAW INFORMATION

Wrongful Death Survey		Wrongful Death Law Articles		Wrongful Death FAQs
		The Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer in a Wrongful Death Case Wrongful death expert witnesses Grief Support Groups & Loss Services Wrongful Death of Wealthy Individuals More...		What is a Survival Action? How do you start a wrongful death lawsuit? Does Washington State have a vehicular homicide law? What is the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases in Washington State? More...

Most Read Wrongful Death Pages		FREE Wrongful Death Law Book		Wrongful Death Settlements
Bellevue wrongful death lawyer Wrongful death attorney Wrongful death of a child How wrongful death claims are valued. More...		FREE BOOK: Wrongful Death In Washington State Schedule A FREE Legal Consultation		Children Get Millions for Death of Mother Family gets One Million for Dog Attack Death Wrongful Death at Nursing Home Gets One Million Dollar Settlement More...

Television News Interviews With Chris Davis, Wrongful Death Attorney


Wrongful Death Law Chris Davis is interviewed by CNN's Anderson Cooper		Wrongful Death of Mother Chris Davis is interviewed on KOMO4 News regarding the wrongful death of a mother.		Attorney Writes Book On Wrongful Death Law Attorney Chris Davis on KIRO7

Chris Davis and Davis Law Group has been recognized by the following organizations:

Davis Law Group and attorney Chris Davis has been featured in news reports on these local and national news sources:

Davis Law Group is a member of the following organizations:

2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 630, Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 727-4000 Fax: (206) 727-4001
Toll Free: 1-866-595-3565

Blog for Wrongful Death

Library for Wrongful Death:

Wrongful Death Suit Filed After 11-Year-Old Girl Falls From Ferris Wheel
Abiah Jones’ parents filed the suit after their daughter fell from the Giant Wheel on Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier. She died at the hospital.
Grief Support Groups, Loss Services and Wrongful Death Legal Resources
Excellent lists of support groups, online communities, and legal resources for those who have lost a loved one in Washington State.
5 Dead, 2 Injured in Anacortes Oil Refinery Blast
5 people were killed and 2 were injured as a result of an oil refinery explosion on Friday April 2, at 12:30 am. Maintenance crews were working the get the bank of boilers ready to resume operation when the blast occurred.
The Evolution of the Obituary: Classic traditions and new trends in memorializing your loved one. [PDF]
Classic traditions and new trends in memorializing your loved one.
Funeral Homes, Funeral Services, Mortuaries in Seattle, Washington
Planning a funeral in Seattle after a tragic accident? Here is a quick list of funeral homes in the Seattle Washington area.
Wrongful Death Suit Against a Governmental Entity in Washington State
Sometimes a wrongful death claim may exist against a governmental entity, like a town or city, municipality, county, or the state. It may not be immediately apparent that the defendant is a governmental entity (e.g., a transit or utility company) but it is very important to understand that many jurisdictions, including the state of Washington, have specific pre-filing laws for when a claim or lawsuit may be brought against a governmental entity.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit: The Discovery Process
After the wrongful death lawsuit is filed and the defendant is properly and timely served, both sides participate in a process of exchanging information about the case. This process is known as discovery. There are many different forms of discovery, or different ways to request or obtain information from the other side in a case. In Washington state, the rules governing the discovery process are quite broad and allow each side to investigate what evidence and witnesses may be introduced at trial. Even if the requested information does not appear directly relevant to the case, it may still be a proper request if it may lead to the discovery of relevant information.
Wrongful Death Expert Witnesses
After a wrongful death case has been filed in court, it will often require the assistance of expert testimony to help the attorney prove one or more elements of the action. Since wrongful death cases can involve many different issues that are often complex and difficult to prove, an experienced wrongful death attorney will usually want to engage the assistance of one or more experts early on in the case.
Alternative Dispute Resolution or Mediation in Wrongful Death Cases
Depending on the jurisdiction and the complexity of a wrongful death case, the discovery phase in litigation may take many months or sometimes even years. When discovery is finally completed, and each side generally knows what evidence will likely be offered at trial, the parties may then begin to conduct settlement discussions.
Preparing for a Wrongful Death Trial
If the case does not settle after discovery and ADR or mediation has failed, then the case may proceed to trial. Each side has the option of trying the case before a judge or jury. Depending on the jurisdiction, a jury trial may not happen automatically.
The Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer in a Wrongful Death Case
No wrongful death case should ever be filed or pursued without the assistance of a qualified wrongful death attorney.
Washington State Wrongful Death Law: Civil vs. Criminal Responsibility
A person who causes a wrongful death in Washington State may be criminally responsible. For this to occur, the wrongdoer’s conduct must be worse than ordinary negligence. Usually, the wrongdoer must act intentionally or recklessly to be guilty of a crime. If criminal liability exists, the wrongdoer is punished with jail time and/or fines.
Wrongful Death Action Brought by Personal Representative
To bring a wrongful death case, a person called a “Personal Representative” (PR) must first be appointed by the court on behalf of the deceased person’s estate. The PR is the only person who can file and prosecute a wrongful death action. A separate document (called a petition) must be filed in court which asks the judge to specifically appoint the PR. Oftentimes, the PR may also be a wrongful death beneficiary, like a surviving spouse or adult child. If the court accepts the person designated as the PR, then an order is entered giving that person all of the rights and obligations that come with this position.
Children as Wrongful Death Beneficiaries
If the deceased has minor children, then they are considered beneficiaries of the estate and a wrongful death action is pursued on behalf of the children. When minor children are involved, they will have a claim for expected contributions that the deceased parent would have made to them until age 18 – the age of majority in Washington state.
Insurance Benefits and Coverage Available In Wrongful Death Claims
There are different types of insurance benefits that may be available to you or other surviving family members if the death of your loved one is caused by a motor vehicle accident
How Wrongful Death Claims Are Evaluated
Statistically, more than 95% of all wrongful death claims are settled prior to trial, either during the claims process or during litigation before the trial. A fair and reasonable settlement may be successfully negotiated if your claim is properly documented, presented, and argued to the insurance adjustor.
The Wrongful Death Settlement Demand Package
By providing a comprehensive and persuasive settlement demand package, you are helping the insurance adjustor build his or her file so that the company can justify paying out a large settlement. Providing a comprehensive and persuasive settlement demand package gives the insurance company a number of reasons for settling the claim immediately and fairly rather than going to court. Keep in mind that an experienced attorney knows how the present the package in an appropriate way so that the information increases the change of a favorable settlement. A “do it yourself” approach to this step could provide the insurance company with information that can help THEIR case.
Washington’s Law on the Wrongful Death of a Child
Washington State authorizes a parent to recover damages for the loss of a minor child, as long as the parent has regularly contributed to the support of the child. The requirement that a parent must regularly contribute to the support of the child has been a recent change to the law. This change was made to prevent a parent (oftentimes, the father) who never or rarely supported the child during the child’s lifetime from profiting financially from the child’s death.
The Eight Factors Which Determine The Value Of A Wrongful Death Case
In reading through the different factors that may affect the expected outcome of your case, you may be disheartened. You may not agree with the factors or wonder why something entirely outside of a family’s control has any relevance at all in a wrongful death case. I understand how you feel and most people who suffer the loss of a family member feel the same way. Unfortunately, we can't change these factors or the law itself. But I can tell you that my goal is to educate Washington citizens about the factors which may influence the value of a wrongful death case.
The Specific Damages Recoverable in a Washington Wrongful Death Case
Washington law states that only certain types of damages may be recoverable in a wrongful death case. The deceased’s estate may recover damages. Certain designated beneficiaries of the estate (e.g., a surviving spouse or child, or a sibling or parent financially dependent on the deceased) may also recover damages. Generally, the damages are divided into two categories: economic and non-economic. Economic damages usually refer to those damages that are easier to calculate, like lost earnings, medical expenses, and other forms of compensatory damages. Non-economic damages usually refer to the subjective losses, like pain, suffering, grief, mental anguish, and the loss of the relationship with the deceased.

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Frequent Questions for Wrongful Death:

Videos about Wrongful Death:

FYI: Basics of a Wrongful Death Claim

FAQ: What role does the employer-employee relationship play in a wrongful death case?

Web Resources for Wrongful Death:

Wrongful Death Information and Statistics (website)
Description: Wrongful Death Statistics and Useful Information

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Christopher M. Davis

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Christopher Michael Davis

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Multi-Million Dollar Car Accident Settlement for TBI Victim

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