Nobody ever wants to have to deal with the unexpected loss of a loved one, especially when that death is the result of a workplace accident or personal injury. Odds are you’re dealing with a mix of emotions, from grief to anger and sadness all at once, and these emotions can lead people to act without their best interests at heart, even if it’s unintentional. We want to help you avoid these intentional and unintentional mistakes if you’re tasked with picking up the pieces after a wrongful death incident, so below, we shine a light on three mistakes to avoid and how to best proceed if you find yourself in this unwelcoming position.
Avoid These Mistakes During A Wrongful Death Case
Here’s a look at some things you’ll want to avoid in the wake of a wrongful death accident if you want to put yourself in the best position to file a successful claim. Moving forward with a wrongful death claim may not be a top priority in the immediate aftermath, but you may want to do so down the road, and by following these three tips, you’ll help ensure your actions don’t hinder your eventual claim.
1. Giving A Public Statement – If the accident makes the news, there’s a chance that reporters or journalists will reach out looking for a statement. You may be inclined to say some nice words about the deceased, but save it for the funeral instead of a public statement. These public statements can be used during the claims process to affect your total payout. We’ve never once seen a public statement given to a media outlet result in a larger wrongful death award, but we’ve certainly seen statements work against a family during their quest for compensation. At the very minimum, run your statement past an attorney before going public.
2. Delaying A Lawsuit – Minnesota statutes provide you some time to grieve and collect your thoughts, but like every lawsuit, there are deadlines that need to be met. Even though you have a significant period of time to decide to move forward with a wrongful death case, the longer you wait, the harder it is to present your case. Memories fade and evidence becomes less reliable as time passes, so if you wait months or a year to begin your wrongful death suit, you might find yourself fighting an uphill battle. Take some time after the incident to focus on your mental and physical health, then get the ball rolling on your case to collect the compensation you deserve.
3. Going Alone/Accepting A First Offer – One final mistake we see is when people try to collect a wrongful death claim on their own. On the surface, these are very straightforward claims. Your loved one died as a result of someone else’s actions and you are entitled to compensation. However, because you don’t have industry insight, odds are you’re leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table. Also, insurance companies prey on grieving individuals who just want the case to end and to be able to move on with their life, so they often push low first offers in hopes that they’ll just sign in order to be done with everything. Don’t shortchange yourself because you just want the process to be over or because you’re unfamiliar with the system.
Instead, hire an injury law firm who will not only take over the case and allow you to focus on personal matters, but we’ll also help to maximize your award amount. We get paid a small percentage of your claim award, so the bigger payday we get you, the more we take home. Our interests are perfectly aligned, and we’ll do everything in our power to collect as much as possible for your Minnesota wrongful death case.
For more information, or for assistance with any aspect of your injury or wrongful death case, reach out to Hey Workers today.
