If you have suffered through the untimely death of a loved one, you may be wondering what you can do to hold the responsible party accountable. According to Alabama Code § 6-5-41, you would have the right to file a wrongful death claim if the death was caused by the negligence, wrongful act or omission of another person. While the responsible party may soon face criminal charges for the wrongful act that has resulted in your loved one’s death, you may also hold them accountable for their actions by seeking punitive damages.
Unlike most other states, whose wrongful death statutes focus on compensating the surviving family of the victim, Alabama’s statute is focused on civil punishment. Typically, the “survivors” of the deceased would file a claim to recover compensation for their economic and non-economic losses (i.e. medical expenses and emotional pain and suffering), but the Alabama wrongful death statute only allows the plaintiff to recover punitive damages—which is aimed at punishing the person who caused the victim’s untimely death.
While there is nothing that you can do to change the past, bringing suit against the responsible party is one way to seek justice on behalf of your loved one. For this reason, you should not hesitate to explore your legal options if you have been faced with such a situation; the Montgomery injury attorneys at MCATD can walk you through it. To learn more about how the legal team at Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC can assist you in pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit, give us a call today at (844) 654-6228.
It won’t cost you a thing to discuss your case with one of the Montgomery personal injury lawyers at our firm, whether you contact us online or by phone, so there is no reason why you should wait any longer to take the first step.
