Get free answers to your Wrongful Death legal questions from lawyers in your area.
Your current state is Virginia
My father-in-law, 88 years old with some co-morbidities, was admitted to the hospital on May 27, 2025, due to a bowel obstruction. An NG tube was placed to drain bile and prevent vomiting. On the second day, the tube was clamped for a small bowel test but was not reconnected afterward, leading to... View More 
answered on Jun 16, 2025
Clamping an NG tube for a test is standard, but failing to reconnect it or monitor the patient for complications such as vomiting likely constituted medical malpractice. Vomiting with an improperly managed NG tube increases the risk of aspiration, especially in an 88 year old patient with... View More
My grandmother, who was suffering from immense chest and back pain, was misdiagnosed with sciatica at the Kaiser ER in San Jose without a thorough examination. The doctor refused to listen to her and my uncle, who was present and witnessed the interaction. A nurse realized something was wrong and... View More
answered on Jun 10, 2025
To establish medical malpractice, you must prove Kaiser had a duty to meet the standard of care, breached it by not evaluating the symptoms correctly, caused the delay that led to the death of your grandmother, and resulted in significant damages, including medical costs, pain and suffering, and... View More
My uncle passed away on June 1 at Kern Medical. My mother, his sister, drove from Sanger, CA daily for 27 days to monitor his progress, and she documented what she considered slow progress during his stay. Nurses at the hospital were unable to provide information on the circumstances of his early... View More
answered on Jun 17, 2025
Under California’s MICRA statute (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 340.5), you generally have one year from the date of discovery of potential medical negligence to file a claim. Since your uncle passed away on June 1, 2025, you are within the timeframe to pursue a wrongful death medical malpractice... View More
I am a plaintiff in a medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuit involving my mother. We are currently in the discovery stage since September 2023. I've asked my legal team about the potential amount we might be seeking, but they have said it's too soon to determine. I'm... View More
answered on Jun 2, 2025
An Arizona attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. The law firm handling your matter is really in the best position to advise about dollar figures - due to their knowing the most about the case and its progress. As a general commentary, without knowing anything... View More
I am seeking help to obtain a second autopsy for my son due to significant inconsistencies in the coroner's findings. His death was initially reported as accidental drowning after being missing underwater for six weeks, with the report indicating the event happened at work. However, neither... View More
answered on Jun 2, 2025
I'm so sorry for your loss. Obtaining an exhumation of your son's remains is a complicated process and, at a minimum, will require the filing of a petition in the Supreme Court of the county in which he is buried, and a showing of good cause for the exhumation. To have any realistic... View More
I was involved in an accident with a motorcycle in Texas. After the accident, I remained at the scene answered all police questions, and took a DUI test, which I passed. I recently learned the motorcycle rider has passed away. Although I have not yet been contacted about a lawsuit, the family of... View More
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answered on May 31, 2025
Hi there,
First and foremost, I’m truly sorry you’re going through this. Being involved in a serious accident—especially one that ends in tragedy—is something no one is ever really prepared for. Please know you’re not alone, and your concerns right now are completely valid.... View More
I was involved in an accident with a motorcycle in Texas. After the accident, I remained at the scene answered all police questions, and took a DUI test, which I passed. I recently learned the motorcycle rider has passed away. Although I have not yet been contacted about a lawsuit, the family of... View More
answered on Jun 11, 2025
The family would likely to pursue the vehicle's insurance as the primary source of compensation. Since insurance generally follows the vehicle, that would be the normal source of recovery instead of your policy. The usual route is for the carrier to provide defense attorney (with the normal... View More
I was involved in an accident with a motorcycle in Texas. After the accident, I remained at the scene answered all police questions, and took a DUI test, which I passed. I recently learned the motorcycle rider has passed away. Although I have not yet been contacted about a lawsuit, the family of... View More
answered on Jun 12, 2025
In Texas, when someone is killed in an accident, their family can file a wrongful death lawsuit against any party they believe is responsible. They can sue:
You, as the driver of the vehicle
The owner of the vehicle if they believe the owner was negligent in lending it
Any... View More
I am concerned about a potential malpractice issue following a gallbladder removal surgery performed on May 16, 2025, on a stage four cancer patient. The surgery was done laparoscopically, and I believe the general surgeon accidentally caused an obstruction of her bile duct, leading to jaundice,... View More
answered on May 24, 2025
There are many aspects of bringing a malpractice case. The first is an analysis by an experienced malpractice attorney. The attorney will determine if it appears the doctor acted below the standard of care (a medical expert will need to be consulted for a medical opinion). Here, blocking the... View More
A family friend was working as a security guard at a grocery store parking lot when he was attacked by an individual who had been banned from the property. The trespasser ignored the ban and assaulted the security guard using his fists and a pickaxe. The trespasser also threatened the guard's... View More
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answered on May 23, 2025
Yes, the security guard would likely have a defense, but based on the facts you describe, it is very hard to imagine he was actually charged unless the prosecution believes there is more to the story.
So based solely on your description, the charges are a huge overreach and should... View More
I am involved in a wrongful death case, currently at a federal district court in Illinois, citing diversity of citizens. In my arguments, I referenced a Mississippi Supreme Court case that interprets the Restatement (Second) of Conflict of Laws, relevant to similar diversity cases. However, the... View More
answered on May 13, 2025
Maybe your citation was irrelevant. I don't know. You are asking the wrong question. If what you are trying to say is that you are seeking diversity jurisdiction and the Federal Court in Illinois Is refusing to accept jurisdiction, they already told you exactly why they are not accepting... View More
I want to sign permission for my 13-year-old son to travel with his father, whom he lives with full-time, and his father's family on a cruise to Bermuda. I have visitation rights with my son, and the cruise company requires both parents' signatures for consent. Will I be held liable if my... View More
answered on May 8, 2025
If your son embarks on the cruise, I hope that he enjoys a safe and enjoyable trip with the family. From the standpoint of maritime law and cruise ship protocols, you or the child's father could be presented with certain waivers of liability to sign, depending on the cruise line. These could... View More
My wife passed away on December 7, 2024, due to liver disease. After visiting urgent care, she was prescribed oral prednisone and Tylenol, despite informing the doctor of her liver condition. She began experiencing severe fluid retention almost immediately, requiring multiple hospital visits for... View More
answered on May 6, 2025
It certainly appears that you may have a valid medical malpractice case, which will be dependent on whether the provider's actions at urgent care fell below the standard of care for such medical providers. You only have a limited time to file a lawsuit for malpractice, so it is important to... View More
My wife passed away on December 7, 2024, due to liver disease. After visiting urgent care, she was prescribed oral prednisone and Tylenol, despite informing the doctor of her liver condition. She began experiencing severe fluid retention almost immediately, requiring multiple hospital visits for... View More
answered on May 6, 2025
You may have a case for malpractice and wrongful death.
The prescribing of medication in combination where is it contraindicated may be malpractice. What would be needed is a medical doctor expert to testify that prescribing those medications in combination, in this situation, was both... View More
My 22-year-old stepdaughter died in a car crash in Central Florida last April. She had previously been involved in a DUI incident, where she refused a breathalyzer, but was released on her own recognizance without immediate license suspension. Despite this, she was able to legally buy and register... View More
answered on May 5, 2025
In Florida, a stepfather may not automatically qualify to sue for wrongful death unless he was legally recognized as the child's parent or financially dependent on her. The claim must be filed by the personal representative of the deceased's estate on behalf of eligible survivors.
I lost my home in the Eaton fire in Altadena, CA. My family and I received no evacuation warnings, and there was no firefighting assistance or water during the incident. My daughters are traumatized by the experience, and we learned that a neighbor died without any warning. Many residents in west... View More
answered on May 4, 2025
You have six months time limit from the date of the incident in which to file a claim against the government entity. However, the case against Edison is a much stronger case. Edison has admitted fault and a mass tort action ( NOT a class action) is being pursued against Edison. You recover much... View More
My husband was involved in an automobile accident while driving his company car and died on the scene. The other driver did not die but suffered non-life-threatening injuries and a total loss of their $100,000 truck. The police report did not state that my husband was at fault, although it... View More
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answered on May 1, 2025
The auto accident liability case is a potential claim against your husband's estate. Yes, your husband's auto insurance might end up actually paying the claim, but the legal mechanism for presenting claims against a decedent is to file them in the probate case. If you had opened a... View More
I am seeking legal assistance regarding a medical malpractice case involving my father's surgery. He was scheduled for back surgery, and prior to that, he underwent laser stomach surgery. After the surgeries, he experienced severe stomach pain and bloating. Despite our continuous reporting to... View More
answered on Apr 17, 2025
I'm very sorry to hear of your father's passing. It sounds like you may have a valid malpractice case, but as with all such cases its success will depend on the specific facts and timing. For medical malpractice cases, there is a 1-year Statute of Limitations, meaning you must file your... View More
In early March, my husband passed away, and I believe it was due to a malfunction of his new insulin pump. The pump kept failing, which may have resulted in incorrect insulin dosing. I reported the issue to the manufacturer and relevant authorities, and I have records of all his calls to the... View More
answered on Apr 11, 2025
So so sorry to hear this. Definitely avoid too much interaction with insurance companies, yours or the hospitals' or doctors' and reach out to speak to counsel asap to best protect any/all claims here. IF the attorney is experienced but not say in this area of law, s/he may have a good... View More
I discovered that my sister secretly filed a lawsuit related to my mother's passing from ovarian cancer, allegedly linked to Johnson & Johnson talcum powder. I wanted to file a separate lawsuit but was told I couldn’t because one was already open. My siblings and I were not involved or... View More
answered on Apr 11, 2025
I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother. The lawsuit wasn't really "secret" - it seems it might have been done without letting you know. Lawsuits are often part of public records, unless a court has ordered non-publication, or they're sealed. Otherwise, they can usually... View More
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