A wrongful death action is a right of action established by Washington State laws to compensate surviving family members of a person who dies due to the negligence or intentional act of another person. This type of legal action is governed by complex statutory provisions. The accomplished wrongful death attorney team at Robinson & Kole assist clients in recovering the compensation they deserve. From our Bellingham office, we help clients throughout the State of Washington. For our Spanish-speaking clients, our bilingual team members make it easy to work with us.

Since 1979, Robinson & Kole has been genuinely invested in helping clients recover compensation for all manner of accidents and workplace injuries. Every wrongful death attorney at our firm has extensive courtroom experience and the knowledge and skills to help you navigate through the entire wrongful death process. Our attorneys collaborate on case strategy and problem solving, so you benefit from the collective experience of our legal team that represents more than 100 years handling these types of claims.

Washington State Wrongful Death Statute

Wrongful death cases generally arise from situations in which a person’s death results from negligence, such as auto accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents, and other types of accidents. Intentional conduct that results in death can also provide a basis for a wrongful death action, whether or not the conduct results in criminal charges. A workplace accident may give rise to a wrongful death case if a third-party’s negligence or intentional act caused the death.

Washington State law provides that a wrongful death action must be filed by the personal representative of the decedent’s estate in most cases. The beneficiaries of a wrongful death action are the surviving spouse, state registered domestic partner, and child or children (including stepchildren) of the deceased person. If there is no spouse, partner, or children to benefit from a wrongful death action, parents or siblings of the decedent may be beneficiaries. The amount of damages awarded to the beneficiaries by the court or jury (or in a negotiated settlement) is determined based on all the circumstances of the case.

Compensation in a Wrongful Death Action

In a wrongful death action, damages compensate the beneficiaries for a broad range of losses, both financial and non-financial, including:

• Medical, funeral, and burial expenses of the deceased person
• Lost financial support
• Value of services the deceased person provided
• Loss of the deceased person’s love, care, affection, companionship, and guidance

A case involving the death of a child may include additional types of damages, including compensation for destruction of the parent-child relationship.

Recovering compensation in a wrongful death case requires demonstrating the individual losses suffered by family members through detailed evidence. Assistance from an experienced wrongful death lawyer is essential to ensure that the beneficiaries recover for all losses and harm caused by the loved one’s death.

Importance of Legal Counsel

The legal and factual complexity of a wrongful death case, as well as the calculation of compensation for beneficiaries, make it essential to have qualified legal representation in a wrongful death action. Our personal injury and wrongful death attorney team at Robinson & Kole has the experience, knowledge, and skill to assist clients with all the aspects of a wrongful death case.

Proving that a death was wrongful is a crucial part of the case. The investigation and analysis of this aspect for a wrongful death case is the same as demonstrating legal liability in a personal injury case. Our lawyers have proven success and decades of experience in handling all types of personal injury matters and apply those skills to demonstrate liability in wrongful death cases.

The computation of damages for beneficiaries is also an essential part of a wrongful death case. Our Robinson & Kole lawyers have a detailed understanding of the elements that go into calculating the full compensation provided by the law for each beneficiary, so no one will get short-changed on the financial recovery. Our lawyers stand up for our clients’ rights against insurance companies and opposing counsel.

Free Consultation with an Experienced Washington Wrongful Death Attorney

From our office in Bellingham, our Robinson & Kole wrongful death attorney team helps clients throughout the State of Washington. If you lost a loved one because of another person’s wrongful act, we welcome you to contact us for a free consultation by calling 800.640.5616 or using our online contact form. Se habla Español.