Wrongful Death Investigators Help Get Fairer Settlements

• December 26, 2006
• by PInow Staff

Wrongful death lawsuits are very common. These lawsuits need to be filed within a specific timeframe in order to be successful. Time and evidence are essential in cases such as these, and a private investigator can be the best investment a plaintiff can make.

A wrongful death lawsuit usually occurs when a person causes a death through negligence. In some cases, the lawsuit arises when someone can be held liable for a death whether or not it can be proven that negligence resulted in the death. Only specific people can file this sort of lawsuit. In almost all cases, only specific beneficiaries usually a surviving spouse or child who was dependent on the deceased can file a claim. In most states, wrongful death lawsuits are meant to help people recover the money that a deceased person would have earned if not for their death. These civil cases, therefore, are often about settlements, and the amount of money involved in these cases is quite large.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, almost 65% of wrongful death cases are medical malpractice cases. Automobile cases account for about 16% of wrongful death suits, with premises liability and product liability also accounting for some portion of wrongful death suits. Most wrongful death claims in court take place by jury trial.

In most cases, plaintiffs seek damages in wrongful death suits to cover loss and suffering, lost income, medical bills, and other costs or money losses associated with a death. In most states, wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within a specific time of the death that has occurred. With a limited time frame, there are lots of reasons why taking the time to hire a professional investigator is one of the smartest things that a plaintiff can do:

• An investigator can tell you whether there is enough evidence to launch your lawsuit before you invest all the time and money needed to file a wrongful death case in the first place.
  
  
• To build a solid lawsuit, plaintiffs need a number of things. They need to be eligible to bring launch a wrongful death suit, they need to have enough evidence to prove that the defendant caused the death; they need a good strategy to settle the case. Of these needs, evidence is essential. Without evidence, it will be hard to show that the defendant caused the death. The evidence, moreover, needs to be very solid. The defendant will try very hard to prove that he or she did not cause the death and they only need to introduce reasonable doubt to ensure that the plaintiff gets no settlement. Hiring a private investigator is one way to ensure that the evidence for a fair settlement is present in the courtroom.
  
  
• An investigator can even out the power imbalance that can occur in these cases. In many wrongful death lawsuits, the plaintiff is facing a company or insurance company in court, and these companies have almost unlimited resources in terms of investigators and money. Unfortunately, the power inequity can get in the way of justice. Hiring a private investigator, on the other hand, can give the plaintiff access to evidence that can secure a fair settlement.
  
  
• In many cases, wrongful death lawsuits involve settlements that approach or exceed a million dollars. This is a lot of money money that can be used to help the plaintiff build a new life. An investigator can help uncover the evidence needed to ensure that the plaintiff gets the best settlement and the best future -- possible.
  
  
• Some plaintiffs choose to represent themselves in court in order to gain more control over the case. In these instances, there may be no attorney or law firm available to gather medical evidence, police reports, background information about the parties involved, witness testimony, physical evidence, expert evidence, and other evidence needed for the lawsuit. In these instances, a professional investigator is the best way to gather this information.
  
  
• Wrongful death lawsuits are often only the beginning. Even when plaintiffs are rewarded large settlements, collecting the money can be difficult. A professional investigator with judgement recovery experience can help ensure that a plaintiff is not only awarded a settlement but also that the plaintiff actually gets the settlement they need to rebuild their life.

Plaintiffs facing a wrongful death suit or considering a wrongful death case have no time to lose. Thats why turning to the PInow.com Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators is such a good idea. The PInow.com Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators lets anyone find local, experienced investigators that can help immediately. Plus, the PInow.com Worldwide Directory of Private Investigators even has free wrongful death resources that can help a plaintiff make sense of their case.

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