Fatal Injuries and Wrongful Death Claims in Florida

A wrongful death incident is one where negligence causes a person to lose their life. There are several ways that a person can behave in a reckless manner and their lack of care for others can cause a deadly accident. For example, there were 3,561 deaths from fatal car accidents in Florida in 2022.  Car accidents are one of the leading means by which wrongful death incidents happen. However, slip and fall accidents, medical malpractice, dog bites, defective products, and more can all cause death too. 

The Wrongful Death Act in Florida states that only certain individuals may obtain financial compensation for damages when a wrongful death incident occurs. These individuals include:

• Spouses
• Children
• Legal dependants
• Parents when no other beneficiaries exist

A personal representative of a decedent’s estate is the individual who may file a wrongful death lawsuit. Usually, when a person has end-of-life documents like a will in place, a personal representative can be found in that document. In the absence of a will or any type of estate planning document naming a personal representative, there will be a priority list of individuals related to the decedent who will be able to file a suit.

For more information on wrongful death rules and claims in Florida, please reach out to a Tampa wrongful death attorney at Fulgencio Law.

Deadly Injuries

An injury sustained in an accident that is not quickly attended to and treated can become a deadly one. The following injuries may seem benign on the surface, but if left without diagnosis and medical interventions, could lead to death.

Broken Bones

Broken bones that are identified typically can heal. However depending on where a bone is fractured and how it has been damaged, a broken bone can do significant harm to one’s body. Splinters that break off of a bone and sharp edges of a broken bone can pierce or lacerate internal organs, damage blood vessels, tear ligaments and tendons, cut muscle, and cause internal bleeding. Bones that pierce through the skin can cause a victim to lose a considerable amount of blood and the wound could become infected.

Head Trauma

When the head is impacted brain tissue could be affected. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be severe and the location of the brain damage and the extent of brain destruction can cause death.

Internal Organ Damage

An accident that crushes the body, servers the body, and punctures the body can cause great physical harm to internal organs like the lungs, kidneys, spleen, or liver.

Speak to an Attorney at Fulgencio Law Today

It may be possible that the injuries your loved one suffered in an accident were the reason they lost their life. In this situation, having the assistance and support of a compassionate and knowledgeable wrongful death attorney can be advantageous.

For help filing a wrongful death claim, please call an attorney at Fulgencio Law to schedule a free consultation at (813) 463-0123. The legal team at Fulgencio Law has the skills, resources, and experience to help you with your claim and will fight on your behalf to obtain the total amount of compensation you are owed.