An attorney handling a wrongful death case in Virginia (VA) must consider both the economic and emotional losses associated with the client’s family member’s death. Under Virginia law the family of a person who was killed by the negligence of another is potentially entitled to damages set forth on a list in the Code of Virginia (VA).
Generally, these damages for wrongful death fall into two categories namely economic damages and grief damages. The economic damages for wrongful death in Virginia (VA) are for things like funeral expenses, the medical bills for the deceased to be treated before they died for the injuries caused by the other person’s negligence, and the future lost wages to the family for a person who was working at the time of his or her death. The best lawyers in Virginia (VA) also will typically hire an expert economist who can also calculate economic losses for the value of the services that the person who was killed performed for his family. For example, a homemaker does so many things and provides so many services for their family that its hard to even know all the things that person does that others in the house rely on. What the economist can do is to calculate what the cost of replacing those services would be to the family as if they were to go out to hire someone else to do all of the cooking, cleaning, and other chores that the person wrongfully killed used to do. Even for a wage earner in a wrongful death case, there are household services which an economist can put a number on. For example, if a husband use to cut the grass, and do household repairs that is an economic cost to his family when he is taken away. Knowing how to work with an expert economist in a wrongful death case is one of the skills a top wrongful death attorney provides to the client.
Wrongful death can occur as a result of an automobile accident or as a result of medical malpractice. People are also wrongfully killed as a result of faulty or defective products. If you believe that your loved one has been killed as a result of someone else’s fault, you should definitely talk to an experienced lawyer who regularly handles wrongful death and serious injury cases. Typically, there is no charge to consult with an attorney who does this kind of work as we work only on a percentage basis, getting paid only if we are able to obtain a favorable result for you or your family.
Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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