Did you lose a loved one in a fatal accident in Beckley, WV? You may be entitled to compensation, and the experienced Beckley wrongful death lawyers at Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC want to help you maximize your recovery. Call us today at (304) 252-5990
Since our opening, families have trusted Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC to help them navigate the aftermath of fatal accidents in Beckley. We’re award-winning West Virginia trial attorneys who offer the kind of compassionate, trustworthy, effective legal representation families need during times of grief. Backed by over 315 years of collective experience, we’ve helped clients win hundreds of millions in compensation.
Trust us to make a difference in your life after the tragic death of a family member, too. Contact us at our law office in Beckley, WV to set a time for a free consultation now.
How Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC Helps Families After Fatal Accidents in Beckley, WV
Money might not bring your family member back to you. It won’t erase the grief and anguish you’re experiencing. It can, however, provide a sense of justice and offset the burdensome costs of your loved one’s untimely death.
Make the most of your fight for compensation by trusting a Beckley personal injury lawyer to fight for you.
Choosing Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC means working with attorneys who’ve been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers, Martindale Hubbel, Avvo, US News & World Report, The Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers for excellence in personal injury disputes.
We fight passionately for our clients and don’t rest until insurance companies, employers, government agencies, and other powerful adversaries make things right.
Take the time you need to focus on your loss and trust our top-rated legal team to handle the rest:
- Carefully investigate your family member’s death
- Gather important pieces of evidence to build a strong legal claim
- Collaborate with specialists and expert witnesses
- Calculate what your wrongful death case is worth
- File your claim with the insurance company or local Raleigh County court clerk
- Engage in meaningful negotiations with the defense and work to recover a maximum settlement offer on your family’s behalf
- Answer your questions and offer advice so that you can make an informed decision about how to resolve your wrongful death claim
- Litigate your wrongful death lawsuit at trial if the defense won’t take responsibility for your tragic loss
You don’t have to worry about paying legal fees out of your pocket when you turn to our wrongful death attorneys in Beckley for help. We’ll take your case on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win compensation for you. When we win, our fees come directly out of your financial recovery.
Learn more about how we can help you with your wrongful death claim. Your first consultation is free. Call our personal injury law firm in Beckley to get started today.
How Does West Virginia Define Wrongful Death?
When you’re injured in an accident through little-to-no fault of your own in West Virginia, you have the right to seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. In West Virginia, the at-fault party isn’t off the hook just because the victim dies. Rather, under the state’s wrongful death statute, the right to seek compensation shifts to another party.
Wrongful death claims can arise when:
- A person is killed because of the wrongful act, neglect, or default of another, and
- They would have had the right to recover damages if they’d survived.
Pursuant to West Virginia state law, the personal representative of the victim’s estate will have the right to a wrongful death lawsuit.
The personal representative is either named in the victim’s will or appointed by the court. Typically, this will be a spouse, child, close friend or family member, or a trusted personal injury attorney in Beckley.
Any compensation that’s awarded in a wrongful death claim is distributed to these parties:
- Spouse
- Child (biological and/or adoptive)
- Parents
- Siblings
- Family members who were financially dependent on the victim
If there are no surviving family members, compensation awarded in a wrongful death claim is paid to the estate and distributed according to West Virginia law.
What Are the Primary Causes of Wrongful Death in Beckley?
Almost any accident or act of violence can have the potential to be fatal. At Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC, we’re here to advocate for families when they’ve lost close family members as a result:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Bus accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injury
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Coal mining accidents
- Defective products
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Matters of premises liability
- Assaults
- Sexual assaults
- Birth injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
Call our wrongful death attorneys in Beckley if you’ve recently lost someone you love in a fatal accident. Our team is here to listen to your story, explain your legal rights, and help you pursue the monetary award you deserve.
How Much Is My Family’s Wrongful Death Case Worth?
Several factors will come into play when assessing what your wrongful death claim is worth.
- How old were they?
- What was their life expectancy prior to their death?
- Did they share responsibility for their fatal accident or injuries?
- How much money did they make?
- How much of their income was used to support family members?
- What kind of contributions did they make around the household?
- Were they injured in a work-related accident?
Knowledge is power, especially when you’re dealing with a scrupulous insurance company. When you have an idea of what your wrongful death claim is worth, you’ll be prepared to make informed decisions when approached with a settlement.
Learn more about the potential value of your wrongful death claim by contacting Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC for help. Our Beckley wrongful death attorneys have helped clients win hundreds of millions in damages. Let us make an impact on your family’s future, too.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover Through a Beckley Wrongful Death Claim?
When you file a wrongful death lawsuit in West Virginia, you’ll have the opportunity to seek two types of compensatory awards – economic and non-economic. Each is designed to help you cope with different aspects of your loved one’s death.
Economic damages are intended to help you deal with the verifiable and projected costs you have because of your family member’s death, which might include:
- The cost of their funeral and/or burial
- Medical bills incurred prior to their death
- Lost wages, benefits, and other financial support they would have provided if they’d survived
- Lost services, protection, care, and assistance
Non-economic damages are intended to help you cope with much more personal losses after the death of a loved one, including:
- Sorrow, mental anguish, and solace
- Loss of society, companionship, comfort, guidance, and advice
West Virginia also provides the opportunity to seek punitive damages in certain situations. If your wrongful death lawsuit goes to trial, punitive damages can be awarded if a jury believes that the defendant acted intentionally or displayed a conscious disregard for your family member’s safety.
What’s the Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death Lawsuits in West Virginia?
When a loved one dies in an accident or because of an act of violence in Beckley, West Virginia, you’ll have a limited time to formally seek compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.
The statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is typically two years.
Time starts running the date your family member dies, which may or may not be the date of the accident that inflicted their fatal injuries.
If you miss the filing deadline, you’ll lose the right to get the financial award you need and deserve to cope with your unimaginable loss. There are exceptions, but only in rare cases; get in touch with our team today for help.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Beckley Wrongful Death Lawyer
You’re going through an incredibly difficult time in your life, but you’ll get through it. Farmer, Cline & Campbell, PLLC can be there to help you every step of the way.
Our Beckley wrongful death lawyers have the experience, resources, and drive you’ll need to navigate a complex legal claim and get the results you deserve.
Collectively, we have over 315 years of experience fighting for families like yours. Our results, which include hundreds of millions of dollars in monetary awards, speak volumes about the kind of legal representation we provide.
We provide a free initial case evaluation, so don’t hesitate to contact our Beckley law office to get started. Members of our trusted legal team are always here to take your call.