Wrongful death lawyer Charlotte

Rockingham Wrongful Death Lawyers

Help when a loved one loses his or her life in a preventable accident

Everyone deserves to live to see and enjoy their senior years. There’s nothing more tragic than learning the death of a loved one was preventable. No amount of money can compensate families for the loss of a loved one. Wrongful death claims hold negligent people and companies accountable. Wrongful death claims help families remember and honor the loved one’s life while helping spouses, children, and parents move forward.

At Price, Petho & Associates, our dedicated and compassionate team has the skill, resources, and compassion to help families in Rockingham file a wrongful death claim. We pledge to use our resources to conduct a complete investigation into what happened so we can help your family gain closure and secure compensation for what happened. Our record of successful personal injury verdicts and settlements includes a $2,000,000 settlement (the full policy limits) for a family of a man injured in a truck accident.

What would you like to know?

How do wrongful death cases arise in Rockingham?

Wrongful death cases arise in various ways in Rockingham and throughout North Carolina. At Price, Petho & Associates, our personal injury lawyers regularly help family members who have lost a loved one due to the following:

This is not an all-inclusive list of the ways that wrongful death cases arise. Anytime the careless, negligent, or wrongful actions of another individual, business, or entity causes the death of somebody else, there needs to be accountability. Please contact our offices as soon as possible to help determine the best path forward for your case.

Who can file a wrongful death claim in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, the personal representative of the deceased’s estate is responsible for filing a wrongful death claim in court. In these cases, the personal representative is allowed to seek damages on behalf of the estate of the deceased, as well as the surviving family members.

If the deceased person did not have an estate plan or a will in which there was a personal representative named, then the court will appoint another individual who will be able to file the wrongful death claim. This could include a surviving spouse, parents of the deceased, or adult children of the deceased.

How does a wrongful death case differ from a personal injury case?

There are some unique challenges involved in filing a wrongful death claim that are different from a personal injury claim:

  • The victim is deceased. Your loved one can’t testify about how the fatal accident This means we need to work with the police and witnesses, question the defendants, and thoroughly view physical evidence such as the damage to the vehicles or medical records – to show why the defendants are responsible.
  • There may be a criminal case. Many wrongful death cases also involve criminal charges. For example, if your loved one was struck by a drunk driver, the drunk driver may be charged with driving under the influence or one of North Carolina’s death by vehicle charges.
  • The value of the damage usually requires expert advice. A financial expert is usually called to determine your loved one’s life expectancy, how much he/she would have earned had your loved one survived, and other financial calculations.

We understand how to present wrongful death claims before a jury in such a way that the jury understands just how devasting the family’s loss is. Many wrongful death claims do settle out of court.

What is the time limit to file a wrongful death claim in North Carolina?

The North Carolina statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is two years from the date of the deceased’s death. Any claim not filed within this two-year time frame will likely be dismissed, leaving the estate and family members unable to recover the closure and compensation they deserve.

It is important to point out that the wrongful death statute of limitations in North Carolina is shorter than the three-year personal injury statute of limitations. It is crucial to get to work on your claim as soon as possible by working with a skilled Rockingham personal injury attorney who can walk you through this entire process.

The best course of action is to seek legal help after as soon as possible after you’ve paid your respects to your loved one.

What is my Rockingham wrongful death case worth?

According to North Carolina law, the damages in a wrongful death claim are paid to the estate of the decedent. The amount of the settlement or verdict is then distributed either according to the terms of the decedent’s will or the intestate laws of North Carolina.

Under § 28A-18-2, the personal representative can claim the following damages:

  • Expenses for care, treatment, and hospitalization incident to the injury resulting in death.
  • Compensation for pain and suffering of the decedent.
  • The reasonable funeral expenses of the decedent.
  • The present monetary value of the decedent to the persons entitled to receive the damages recovered, including but not limited to compensation for the loss of the reasonably expected
    • Net income of the decedent
    • Services, protection, care, and assistance of the decedent, whether voluntary or obligatory, to the persons entitled to the damages recovered
    • Society, companionship, comfort, guidance, and advice of the decedent to the persons entitled to the damages recovered.

The wrongful death claim may also include punitive damages.

Our attorneys painstakingly work to determine the value of your losses, depending on the specific circumstances of your case.

Google Reviews

I reached out to Price, Petho, and Associates after I found myself in need of an attorney for an accident I was in that led to personal injury. This was my first experience with something like this and they guided me through the process every step of the way. Every question I had was answered promptly and I truly feel they had my best interest at heart. I highly recommend them if you should find yourself in need of these services.

- C.P.

BEST ATTORNEYS

Price Petho and Associates are the best Attorneys in Law I’ve ever worked with. I was involved in a car accident last year and since I was injured, they handled my case and did not disappoint, they took care of everything. Also, my wife got rear ended in her car (total loss) about 6 months ago and my insurance company was delaying our claim and payment, we went to Price Petho and Associates again for some advice, Margaret E. Ford welcomed us right away, we explained the situation, she understood and explained to us what options we had. She was extremely knowledgeable about cases like this, she even called our insurance company for us and made them pay us the same day we talked to her. I’m very glad we asked for their help.

- Y. M.

Recent Case Results

$9,000,000

Motor Vehicle Collison-Traumatic Brain Injury-Motor Vehicle Accidents

$9,000,000

Recovered for a young woman who sustained a catastrophic brain injury as the result of an automobile collision with a large commercial vehicle. The firm retained expert witnesses in the fields of physical medicine and rehabilitation, life care planning and economics. Our firm prepared an extensive video settlement brochure. Following a nine hour mediation with the participation of our expert medical witnesses, the defendants agreed to pay $9 million which was put into a trust for our clients lifetime medical care.

$5,200,000

Motor Vehicle Collison – Traumatic Brain Injury – Motor Vehicle Accidents

$5,200,000

Recovered on behalf of the young woman who sustained catastrophic injuries when she was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer truck while on the job. A workers' compensation claim was made as well as a liability claim against the at-fault trucking company. The settlement funds allow the plaintiff to live in a residential living facility for individuals with a traumatic brain.

$4,500,000

Negligent Highway Construction Spinal Cord Injury – Construction Accidents

$4,500,000

Recovered on behalf of a high school senior who was rendered a quadriplegic as a result of a rollover accident that occurred on I 40 in Iredell County, North Carolina. Our firm retained experts in the field of highway construction, accident reconstruction, life care planning and economics. The successful claim was made against the highway construction company based upon allegations that the construction work had created a lane shift with a significant drop off which caused our client's vehicle to roll over. Through extensive discovery, our firm learned of multiple other accidents that had occurred in the same location in previous months before the accident and that defendants were aware of the dangerous condition prior to the accident but took no steps to correct it. The case settled prior to trial.

Areas of Focus

Do you have a wrongful death lawyer near me?

Our Rockingham office is located at 801 E Broad Ave, #17 in Rockingham, NC. We also have offices in Charlotte and Rutherfordton.

Call a Rockingham wrongful death attorney today

If you have lost somebody you love and care about due to the careless, negligent, or intentional actions of someone else, contact the team at Price, Petho & Associates today. We work aggressively to hold drivers, doctors, nursing homes, property owners, and others liable for the deaths they cause due to their negligence or fault. Our goal is to ensure you receive full compensation for your losses. When you need a Rockingham wrongful death attorney, call us for a free consultation at (704) 372-2169 or fill out our contact form. We handle wrongful death claims on a contingency fee basis.

Price Petho & Associates in Charlotte, NC

Google Reviews

I reached out to Price, Petho, and Associates after I found myself in need of an attorney for an accident I was in that led to personal injury. This was my first experience with something like this and they guided me through the process every step of the way. Every question I had was answered promptly and I truly feel they had my best interest at heart. I highly recommend them if you should find yourself in need of these services.

- C.P.

BEST ATTORNEYS

Price Petho and Associates are the best Attorneys in Law I’ve ever worked with. I was involved in a car accident last year and since I was injured, they handled my case and did not disappoint, they took care of everything. Also, my wife got rear ended in her car (total loss) about 6 months ago and my insurance company was delaying our claim and payment, we went to Price Petho and Associates again for some advice, Margaret E. Ford welcomed us right away, we explained the situation, she understood and explained to us what options we had. She was extremely knowledgeable about cases like this, she even called our insurance company for us and made them pay us the same day we talked to her. I’m very glad we asked for their help.

- Y. M.

Recent Case Results

$9,000,000

Motor Vehicle Collison-Traumatic Brain Injury-Motor Vehicle Accidents

$9,000,000

Recovered for a young woman who sustained a catastrophic brain injury as the result of an automobile collision with a large commercial vehicle. The firm retained expert witnesses in the fields of physical medicine and rehabilitation, life care planning and economics. Our firm prepared an extensive video settlement brochure. Following a nine hour mediation with the participation of our expert medical witnesses, the defendants agreed to pay $9 million which was put into a trust for our clients lifetime medical care.

$5,200,000

Motor Vehicle Collison – Traumatic Brain Injury – Motor Vehicle Accidents

$5,200,000

Recovered on behalf of the young woman who sustained catastrophic injuries when she was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a tractor-trailer truck while on the job. A workers' compensation claim was made as well as a liability claim against the at-fault trucking company. The settlement funds allow the plaintiff to live in a residential living facility for individuals with a traumatic brain.

$4,500,000

Negligent Highway Construction Spinal Cord Injury – Construction Accidents

$4,500,000

Recovered on behalf of a high school senior who was rendered a quadriplegic as a result of a rollover accident that occurred on I 40 in Iredell County, North Carolina. Our firm retained experts in the field of highway construction, accident reconstruction, life care planning and economics. The successful claim was made against the highway construction company based upon allegations that the construction work had created a lane shift with a significant drop off which caused our client's vehicle to roll over. Through extensive discovery, our firm learned of multiple other accidents that had occurred in the same location in previous months before the accident and that defendants were aware of the dangerous condition prior to the accident but took no steps to correct it. The case settled prior to trial.

Areas of Focus