At our personal injury law firm, we put our clients first. We want to learn how your loved one’s passing has affected your life. We want you to feel like you have a personal relationship with our firm because we care about your well-being and future. We will check on you frequently to see how you’re doing and find out if there’s anything more we can do to help you as you process this incredibly difficult loss.
We only serve a small number of clients at a time to ensure we can give your case the attention it deserves. We’ll provide frequent updates and prompt answers to your questions as we work toward your goals.
Our wrongful death attorney also works on a contingency fee basis in Selma, so you’ll pay nothing upfront or out of pocket to secure legal representation when you need it most. To learn more about what we can do for you during this challenging time, contact the Law Office of Dwayne L. Brown today.
What Damages Are Available in Wrongful Death Claims?
Unlike many other U.S. states that allow surviving family members to collect compensatory wrongful death damages (such as funeral expenses, loss of household income, and loss of companionship), Alabama only allows punitive damages in wrongful death claims.
Punitive damages are designed to punish negligent parties for their wrongdoing and discourage others from exhibiting the same or similar behavior in the future. The amount of punitive damages awarded will depend on how harmful the defendant’s actions were, their financial status, and the behavior to be discouraged.
Per AL Code § 6-11-21, Alabama’s punitive damage caps do not apply to wrongful death claims. While most cases in Selma are resolved with an out-of-court settlement, our lawyer won’t hesitate to take your wrongful death case to trial if necessary to recover the justice you deserve.
What Qualifies as a Wrongful Death?
We represent clients in a wide range of personal injury cases. A wrongful death could result in a variety of ways due to negligent actions, such as the following types of accidents:
Specific examples may include a drunk driver running a red light and causing a fatal collision, a manufacturer that knowingly sends a dangerous product to market, or a pharmacist who gives someone the wrong prescription, causing a fatal drug interaction or overdose.
To qualify for a wrongful death claim in Alabama, you must have “clear and convincing evidence” that the at-fault party “consciously or deliberately engaged in oppression, fraud, wantonness, or malice” when they caused your loved one’s death, per AL Code § 6-11-20.
Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about collecting evidence of the negligent party’s wrongdoing alone. Your wrongful death lawyer in Selma will do that for you.