When and Where?
On June 26th, 2020 in Lincoln County, Oregon the police investigation showed that a 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser driven by Christopher Paschall, 50, was going northbound when he left the roadway, drove over the embankment, and hit a tree.
Paschall had unreported injuries and was taken to a local hospital.
Front seat passenger James Paschall, 20, had fatal injuries and is deceased.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits Against the Driver of Your Vehicle in Oregon
Many grieving families in Oregon who lose loved ones in accidents may not know they can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent driver. Even if the driver was related to the deceased, it is possible to file suit against the driver’s insurance policy and secure benefits for the family.
Plaintiffs in an Oregon wrongful death case can receive funeral and burial costs, medical bills of the deceased, and future lost wages for the deceased. In this fatal Oregon car accident, the deceased was only 20. A skilled personal injury attorney might hire an economic expert to show the insurance company what the young man would have earned in his lifetime if he had lived. The ability to hire experts to bring strong evidence in a wrongful death lawsuit is a good reason to hire a personal injury attorney such as The Herron Law Firm in these cases.
Damages
In some cases, punitive damages could be available if the driver was reckless. In this case, the driver may have simply been distracted or fell asleep behind the wheel, so punitive damages may not apply.
One of the challenges of a wrongful death lawsuit is because of the amounts of money involved, there may not be sufficient insurance coverage to pay the full value of the claim. This is another great reason to hire a good Oregon wrongful death attorney; he or she can find out if there are multiple insurance policies in effect that might be tapped so the grieving family can get more compensation.
Usually it is the spouse or children of the victim who make a wrongful death claim. But parents can also file suit.
It should be noted that some wrongful death lawsuits are difficult to bring to a successful conclusion if there is any question that the actions or inactions of the allegedly negligent party caused the death of the deceased. That is another reason to have The Herron Law Firm in your corner.
If you have suffered the death of a loved one in an accident and someone else may be to blame, talk to The Herron Law Firm today.
