Car accidents are not just about victims that can or will eventually walk away. They are also about the victims that are fatally wounded, and the victims that remain unable to speak for themselves. These victims need family to speak up for them because no one else will. If you have a family member that was recently in a car accident and now that family member is either deceased or cannot ask for a lawyer's help, you can step in and help. You will need to either be a parent or a spouse of the family member. Then here is how an accident attorney says you should proceed.
Find an Attorney That Can Take Your (Relative's) Case
Accident attorneys can visit with you to discuss the situation. As long as you are a close living relative, you can act on behalf of the victim(s). The lawyer will go over the details of the case, and then discuss how you may proceed. When the victim is a child of yours and a minor, you can proceed like any other lawsuit. When the "child" is an adult, you may only proceed if your adult child is not married and/or has special needs and you are his/her guardian. When the victim is a spouse, you may also sue just as you would for a child. Extended family members, such as a parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent, etc., may only be pursued if the victim's only living family is you and there is not a closer living relative.
Know the Details in the Case
You either have to be a first-person witness to the accident that caused your relative's death or caused his/her coma, paralyzing condition, and/or brain damage, OR you have to know all of the details as they were relayed to you by someone who was there. For example, if you were a passenger in the car at that time, a driver or passenger in a vehicle behind the relative's vehicle, or you met and spoke at length with witnesses, then you should know the details of the incident. If you do not know the details, it may be very difficult to pursue a case. Police officers, EMTs, doctors, and nurses can help, if you need first-person accounts of the accident from the time just after it happened until your relative was either pronounced dead or ended up in his/her current physical state.
Decide What You Want from the Case
Compensation for a deceased relative is very different from compensation for a living relative that has physical limitations now. You will need to decide what you want out of pursuing this case. Then your lawyer can file your requests with the courts when filing the lawsuit.
For more information, contact companies like chicagoaccidentattorney.net.
Share24 July 2019
When I was a child, my father was the pastor of a small evangelical church in my hometown. I always enjoyed going to church in order to play with my friends. One of these friends suffered a horrific accident at a local gas station one day. As he was walking towards the entrance to the gas station, he was struck by a vehicle. His leg was seriously injured during the accident. To help with the expenses of recovery, his father hired an accident and personal injury attorney. This professional helped my friend’s father sue the person who struck his son. On this blog, you will discover the advantages of hiring an accident and personal injury attorney after incurring injuries from a devastating accident.