What Damages can You Claim Following a Fatal Drunk Driving Accident?

If a person or their loved ones have been fatally injured or killed in a DUI or drunk driving accident, his/her next of kin should gather as much proof as possible and find a sparkling Lansing, MI drunk driving accident lawyer. It is essential to take photographs of the accident scene and also obtain any other evidence related to the accident such as medical records, police reports, and death records.

Some of this stuff used to be hard to do. Twenty years people did not have smart phones or even cell phones with a camera on them in their pockets or purses. Now with the explosive performance and advancement of technology most people have incredible tools right at their disposal. You can record witness testimony right on the side of the street and take outstanding and Nobel peace winning photographs without any photography lessons or classes under your belt as well. Now the guilty party has even less room to maneuver and hide.

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A lawyer can use this information to plan a truly solid case against the at-fault driver responsible for the death of your loved one. For the most part, your Lansing drunk driving accident attorney will have access to experts who are proficient in accident reconstruction, and can make use of the data that you have collected to assist their investigation.

You can find a lawyer of this caliber and honor on this leading legal website: http://dui-lawyers.usattorneys.com/michigan. Not too many websites save lives and give people a shot, this one does and it does it ethically.

Damages you can claim due to fatality

Before setting out to seek damages, consult your attorney to find out which of the family members of the deceased hold the right to follow a court case. In the opinion of Michigan drunk driving accident lawyers, damages claimed for wrongful death depends on the following factors:

• If the deceased gave the necessary financial support to his/her family. If he/she did, the family left behind has the right to claim damages that will be equal to the lifetime of income that is otherwise lost due to the death of the family member.
• The loss of consortium, a legal term that refers to the loss of love or companionship with the passing away of a loved one, due to the negligence and recklessness of another person.
• Medical bills as well as funeral costs. If the deceased was under treatment for any injuries received in the accident, the damages should include the cost of treatment and that of his/her burial or funeral.
• Punitive damages. If driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol causes the death of another person, it deserves no excuse. Under the circumstances, it is only reasonable to seek punishment for the perpetrator of the crime. Punitive damages are awarded, excluding the damages that are normally sought in all accident lawsuits. This is to punish the plaintiff specifically for his/her actions that are especially out of line and deplorable.

Seek legal counsel as early as possible

To learn more about the rights of a family member of a person killed in a DUI or drunk driving accident, you ought to contact a reliable and righteous Lansing, MI drunk driving death lawyer. 

Together with your legal representative, you can collect every bit of information possible to initiate a full and systematic investigation into the events surrounding the accident of your loved one. In this way you can recover any proof quickly and solidify or build the case. Once the investigation is complete, you can evaluate the real worth of the case, as well as the amount of the damages that must be sought, from the party who is liable for your irretrievable loss.