Greensboro Wrongful Death Lawyer

The death of a loved one is not something anyone wishes to contemplate. A family’s grief is even greater when the cause of death stems from another’s wrongdoing – such as recklessness, negligence, or even willful misconduct.

At Ward Black Law, we understand the profound impact an unjust loss has on surviving family members. During this time of grief, handling the legal burden of a wrongful death claim can be overwhelming.

Our experienced Greensboro wrongful death attorneys are here to help ease that burden. We work tirelessly across North Carolina to ensure our clients can focus on healing and coping with their emotional trauma, while we handle the complex legal work.

If your family has lost a loved one due to someone else’s wrongful actions, contact Ward Black Law today. Our wrongful death attorneys will help you understand your legal rights and options at no charge, and explain how we can assist in pursuing the compensation and justice your family deserves. We handle wrongful death cases in Greensboro and throughout North Carolina.

Common Causes of Wrongful Death

Common causes of wrongful death in Greensboro and throughout NC include:

• Car accidents – Although advances in safety technology have reduced the risk of death in car accidents, violent car crashes still have the potential to inflict fatal injuries on the driver or a passenger. You and your family may have a wrongful death claim when you lose a loved one in a car accident caused by another motorist.
• Truck accidents – The sheer size and weight of commercial trucks create a substantial risk of serious, life-threatening injuries for the occupants of other vehicles who are involved in a truck accident. Truck drivers and trucking companies that engage in negligent or reckless behavior that causes a fatal truck accident should be held accountable for a wrongful death claim.
• Motorcycle accidents – Motorcycle riders lack the protection of modern vehicle safety features such as seatbelts and airbags. As a result, riders face a significant risk of fatal injury in the event of a collision or other accident. You and your family may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death action when your loved one is killed in a motorcycle accident that wasn’t their fault.
• Bicycle accidents – Bicycle riders must often ride on streets with motorists who fail to properly share the roads with them. Bicycle riders can suffer life-threatening injuries in collisions caused by negligent drivers. You and your family deserve to hold careless drivers accountable for causing the death of your loved one in a bicycle accident.
• Pedestrian accidents – Pedestrians can be killed by motorists who fail to stop and yield at intersections and crosswalks or who drive through pedestrian areas at reckless and unsafe speeds. Careless drivers should be held accountable through wrongful death actions when a pedestrian accident leads to the tragic loss of your loved one.
• Slip and fall accidents – Slip and fall accidents are often minor events that cause bumps and bruises. However, these accidents can cause life-threatening injuries, when a person suffers a slip and fall accident in a dangerous location such as steep stairs. A wrongful death action can hold property or business owners accountable when a slip and fall accident leads to your loved one’s death.
• Dangerous and defective products – Manufacturers and retailers of products have an obligation to ensure their products can be used safely for their intended purposes. When consumers are killed by dangerous or defective products, a wrongful death action can help families hold manufacturers and retailers accountable for compensation and some measure of justice.
• Workplace accidents – Going to work should not entail the risk of death, even for workers in dangerous occupations. When your surviving family members have a loved one who is killed on the job in Greensboro or anywhere in North Carolina, your family may be entitled to pursue a wrongful death claim. You could hold a person or company responsible for your loved one’s passing. You could also seek death benefits from your loved one’s employer pursuant to the workers’ compensation system.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in NC?

North Carolina’s wrongful death statute provides the legal beneficiaries of a deceased person with a way to avoid the often devastating financial consequences of a loved one’s death. A legal representative of the deceased person’s estate must be the one to file a wrongful death claim. The claim is against the party that caused the victim’s death.

The legal representative is usually the executor of the deceased person’s estate, as named in the will. If the named executor declines to serve or if the deceased person did not have a will, the court will appoint a personal representative to represent the deceased person’s estate. That party is called an administrator. Courts typically appoint a close family member, such as a spouse, an adult child, or a parent, to serve in that role.