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Pursuing Justice For Families After A Wrongful Death

An untimely death is always hard. It hurts even more when the death was preventable. A wrongful death action can be brought when a fatal accident traces back to negligence or disregard for safety.

Sumner Law handles wrongful lawsuits arising from auto, truck, bicycle and motorcycle accidents, and other events. We help grieving families ease the financial burdens by holding individuals, corporations or government entities liable for a tragic death that never should have happened.

Our Walnut Creek firm serves Contra Costa County and the Bay Area. Please reach out to us for a free consultation. We will take care of everything, but it is important to take action sooner than later to preserve your family’s rights.

A Proven Advocate For Difficult Cases

Scott Sumner is an experienced trial lawyer with millions of dollars in wrongful death recoveries for clients. He has litigated fatalities caused by negligent drivers, defective products, dangerous property and hazardous roadway conditions.

Once we have established the underlying fault, we pursue damages on behalf of the survivors, from funeral expenses and replacement of the deceased’s income to compensation for the loss of relationships, companionship and household contributions.

Who Can File A Wrongful Death Suit In California?

Wrongful death lawsuits must be filed by a representative on behalf of survivors, who may be immediate family members (spouse, children, parents, siblings), financial dependents or life partners. A grandparent raising a child who was killed may be able to bring an action.

Wrongful death lawsuits can be brought against defendants like the builder of a faulty roadway, manufacturer of a faulty vehicle component or household product, the driver of an automobile, persons who sold or served alcohol to an impaired driver, or the owner of the premises where a fatality occurred.

If your loved one died in a hit-and-run bicycle or pedestrian-auto accident, Mr. Sumner will work tirelessly to bring the driver to justice.

In certain cases, persons who suffer a financial loss by the victim’s death can bring a wrongful death suit even though they are not related by marriage or blood.

What Damages Can Be Recovered?

The three types of compensation in a wrongful death lawsuit include:

  • Economic damages, covering the loss of the victim’s expected earnings, final medical expenses and funeral/burial costs
  • Noneconomic damages, including mental anguish, loss of care, loss of love and loss of consortium
  • Punitive damages, addressing bad conduct such as nursing home elder abuse or willful violation of trucking regulations

Your Advocate Through All Phases Of A Wrongful Death Lawsuit

During the pretrial phase, your personal injury attorney will conduct a full investigation, gather evidence and put the responsible parties on notice. A case may settle during the pretrial phase, during the litigation phase or even while the jury is deliberating over the verdict.

Since wrongful death lawsuits often involve complex areas of law, you want a knowledgeable and experienced trial attorney like Scott Sumner. His 25 years of experience in a wide range of cases helps him to be proactive and strategic in pursuit of justice, in or out of court.

Tell Us About What Happened To Your Loved One

If you think you may have a wrongful death case, reach out today to schedule a free consultation about your legal remedies. Call Sumner Law at 925-278-6170 or send an email.

We take cases in the Bay Area, Northern California and statewide, with a special focus on bicycle and pedestrian fatalities.