Seeking Justice in The Midst of Tragedy

Durham Wrongful Death Attorney

The Law Office of Donald R. Strickland Seeks Justice for Grieving Families in North Carolina

The death of a family member is tragic. Knowing that the person died because of someone’s carelessness or wrongdoing only compounds the grief. When this occurs, surviving beneficiaries are entitled to recover fair compensation for the loss of their loved one.

Suffering the loss of a loved one with a fatal accident claim? We offer free consultations to help you through this difficult process.

What is Wrongful Death?

When you lose a loved one due to the negligence of another, it is normal to experience shock from this traumatic experience. Wrongful death occurs when someone is killed due to the negligence of another. These claims allow the estate and the family of the deceased to file a lawsuit against the responsible party and pursue compensation for funeral or medical costs.

What Types of Damages Can I Receive in a Wrongful Death Claim?

Damages in a wrongful death claim may vary based on the specific situation. In most cases, the family of the deceased my be able to recover the following:

Compensation for the deceased “pre-death” pain and suffering
Medical treatment costs
Funeral costs
Loss of inheritance
Value of services that the deceased would have provided

The law recognizes the following wrongful death examples:

Tractor-trailer, semi-truck, and other vehicle collisions: These collisions can be violent, resulting in multiple deaths of innocent people. The at-fault drivers of personal and commercial vehicles should be held accountable
Drunk and Impaired driving: Crashes caused by drunken and impaired drivers are a leading cause of wrongful deaths
Defective or dangerous products: Manufacturers should not make a profit at the expense of human lives

Helping Families Find Justice After a Fatal Crash

Motor vehicle crashes killed 1,441 persons in North Carolina in 2016 – a 4.4% increase from 2015. 198 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle crashes in North Carolina in 2016 – a 1.5% increase from 2015. Every one of those deaths had an emotional and financial impact on countless other people’s lives. Don Strickland works to make sure that the person responsible for the death of your loved one is held accountable.

Don Strickland has decades of experience with fatal accident cases, including:

Car accidents: Wearing a seat-belt makes you up to 45% less likely to die in an automobile accident, but the risk of death remains
Truck accidents: These occur on major highways like I-40, I-85 and I-95 as well as on city streets and country roads. The cause is often a fatigued and distracted driver
Motorcycle accidents: North Carolina has the eighth highest rate of motorcycle deaths in the country, according to a study by the American Automobile Association (AAA)

Leading factors that contribute to fatal accidents include driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, distracted driving, such as when a driver is texting, emailing, and using mobile devices while driving, and speeding which accounts for one-third of accident fatalities.

Damages for Wrongful Death Under North Carolina Law

If you have lost a loved one because of someone’s negligence and you are a beneficiary of the estate, you may be entitled to recover:

Medical costs associated with the death
Funeral and burial or cremation costs
Loss of the deceased’s expected future earnings
Other lost income, such as a retirement fund or pension
Loss of companionship, protection and care
Pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Punitive damages

Put this high-standard of representation to work in your case. Contact The Law Office of Donald R Strickland at (919) 828-4357 for an initial consultation.

“Don Strickland and his law firm demonstrated both the highest levels of professional skills and the highest levels of interpersonal compassion”

“We felt truly cared about and became a part of his wonderful family. We can’t thank Don and his staff enough for all they did for us.”