Vehicle collisions and medical negligence are usually the two leading causes of unintentional death in the United States. No amount of money can fully compensate for such a loss. But since no one can turn back the clock, money damages are the next best thing. Additionally, the available compensation assuages grief and gives survivors the financial resources they need to move on. If the ultimate tragedy strikes your family, our Grand Rapids wrongful death lawyers are here to help.
The dedicated Grand Rapids injury attorneys at Buchanan Firm work hard every day to build successful damage claims one piece of evidence at a time. We have the internal resources and professional partnerships to put together compelling damage claims which usually yield maximum compensation. In fact, we are not satisfied with anything less than the best possible result under the circumstances, because neither are you.
Our car accident lawyers in Grand Rapids know that vehicle collisions cause a great number of wrongful deaths in Michigan. Often, the injuries are simply too severe. Some of these serious injuries include:
Medical malpractice in general, and misdiagnosis in particular, also causes many wrongful deaths in Michigan, which our Grand Rapids medical malpractice lawyers can help with.
Cancer is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions in Grand Rapids. The cancer diagnosis error rate may be twice as high as the overall misdiagnosis rate. Cancer survival rates have increased significantly since the 1990s, but the odds only improve if a doctor promptly diagnoses the condition.
Doctors also have a hard time diagnosing head injuries, largely because many victims do not experience signature symptoms, like unconsciousness and vomiting. By the time more advanced symptoms develop, such as tinnitus (ringing in the ears), mood swings, and severe headaches, head injuries are much more difficult to treat and often become fatal.
Legally, either the legal representative or a close relative can usually pursue a wrongful death claim in Michigan. The Wolverine State has a very broad wrongful death statute that allows victims to recover compensation for things like:
If liability is relatively clear, the insurance company has a legal duty to settle the claim quickly. Many times, a demand letter is all that’s required.
Sometimes, the case moves on to the litigation phase. If that happens, most Kent County judges refer these matters to mediation. During mediation, a neutral Grand Rapids wrongful death lawyer tries to work out a settlement between the victim’s family and the insurance company. If both parties negotiate with open minds, mediation is usually successful.
Wrongful death survivors do not have to make do on their own. For a free consultation with an experienced wrongful death attorney in Grand Rapids, contact Buchanan Firm. Our main office is conveniently located near the Ford Library.