Wrongful Death Claims after Losing Family in a South Carolina Trucking Accident

Losing loved ones in South Carolina trucking accidents can be one of the most difficult things for families to endure. After the initial shock passes, you may face a range of costs and psychological burdens. Your loved one might have incurred medical expenses before their passing, and you may be left with the bill. You might face funeral expenses despite having no way to pay for these costs. Your spouse might have been the primary wage earner in your family, and you may have no idea how you will feed your children going forward. On top of all this, you may be struggling with serious emotional trauma. These various losses can be addressed by filing a wrongful death claim in South Carolina. But how does this process work?

How Does a Wrongful Death Claim Work After a South Carolina Truck Crash? 

A wrongful death claim allows families to sue on behalf of their deceased loved ones who passed away in truck crashes. Obviously, the deceased individual no longer has the capability to sue. As a result, South Carolina allows close relatives to hold negligent trucking companies accountable instead. Usually, these are the parents, children, or spouses of the deceased individual. Aside from this, a wrongful death lawsuit proceeds much like a normal personal injury claim. If the plaintiffs (the family members) can prove that the truck driver or trucking company’s negligence led to the crash, then they can hold these parties liable.

What Damages Can I Claim in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

 Families may incur a range of damages after losing a loved one to a truck accident in South Carolina. These are generally divided into economic and non-economic damages. Non-economic damages represent your psychological or emotional losses, and these might include emotional distress, grief, and loss of consortium.

On the other hand, economic damages represent your financial losses. These might include medical expenses left behind by a loved one. In many cases, truck crash victims are transported to nearby hospitals – and sometimes they are airlifted from the crash scene. The cost of these ambulance services can be quite high. Once the victim arrives at a hospital, doctors may attempt various life-saving procedures. If these procedures fail and the victim passes away, their family is still responsible for paying the bill.

Families may also struggle with the loss of income after loving a primary wage earner. For example, a stay-at-home mother might lose access to income after her husband passes away in a truck accident. This may leave her completely unprepared to cover the family’s expenses – especially if she is left alone to raise children. Finally, a fatal truck accident forces families to cover funeral expenses, and these affairs can cost many thousands of dollars.

Find a Qualified, Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer in South Carolina 

If you’ve been searching for a qualified, experienced Charleston car accident lawyer, look no further than Mickelsen Dalton, LLC. Over the years, we have helped numerous families struggling with the aftermath of fatal trucking accidents. Although recovering from this tragedy can be difficult, it may be necessary to act quickly as you pursue compensation. Reach out today for more information.

Sources: 

americanactionforum.org/insight/addressing-the-high-costs-of-air-ambulance-services/

lhlic.com/consumer-resources/average-funeral-cost/#:~:text=The%20average%20funeral%20costs%20between,cremation%20is%20%246%2C000%20to%20%247%2C000.