Losing a loved one is always painful. It’s especially difficult when you lose someone due to someone else’s negligence. If you’ve lost a loved one and you’re not sure if you have a Maryland wrongful death claim, a lawyer can help you evaluate your case.
How do you know if you have a Maryland wrongful death claim?
Wrongful death claims require four components to be honored. These four components include:
1. Careless conduct on the part of an entity or person that caused the death: Did the person, people, or organization you believe to be responsible for your loved one’s death act carelessly?
2. The person or entity responsible for your loved one’s death was accountable to your loved one. This doesn’t mean someone had to know your loved one in advance. Accountability means it was reasonable to assume they had a responsibility to not act in a way that was dangerous to others. An example of this is driving safely. If you lost a loved one in a car crash, a Maryland wrongful death lawsuit might be an option.
3. You are the spouse, child, dependent, or beneficiary of the decedent. Not everyone is eligible to file a wrongful death claim. You must show that your loved one’s death caused you some kind of specific loss. You might consider a friend a loved one and experience a very difficult time after they die, but this doesn’t make you eligible to take legal action against the responsible party.
4. You and anyone else involved in the wrongful death claim suffered monetary damage as a result of the death. You must show financial dependence of some kind on the person you lost. Had the person not been involved in the incident or injuries had been minor and they survived, would you be financially better off than you are as a result of the loss?
