People who have just lost a loved one often have a hard time handling their grief, particularly if the death was unexpected, as is the case with fatalities caused by deadly collisions. Some people may have trouble controlling their emotions and may become very volatile and angry during their grieving period. Others may experience profound depression and may have a hard time performing their jobs and managing their daily needs.
An unexpected death can create a host of financial challenges. A loss can lead to added expenses while simultaneously taking away a stream of household income (if the deceased was a wage earner). Families may also need to redistribute or outsource any household tasks that someone regularly performed before their death, such as lawn care or meal preparation.
With so much going on, why would families also decide to go to civil court and pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the party that they blame for their loved one’s fatal collision?
- Insurance can’t cover the cost of a fatality: What Kentucky requires for liability insurance coverage is frankly far too low to fully reimburse families for the impact of losing a loved one. Depending on the circumstances, a motorist might have as little as $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage to reimburse those affected by a fatal collision for medical expenses and lost wages. Wrongful death lawsuits allow people to pursue the full financial impact of someone’s untimely passing without policy limits reducing what they receive.
- The family wants justice: Situations that lead to someone dying don’t always result in criminal prosecution. Even when the state arrests someone for impaired driving or another major traffic offense, there is neither a guarantee of a successful conviction nor any assurance that the courts will impose an appropriate penalty. A successful wrongful death lawsuit in Kentucky results in the courts declaring someone responsible for a fatal car crash, which can give families a greater sense of closure.
Filing a wrongful death lawsuit in Kentucky after a fatal crash can help give grieving families closure. This may help them move forward while simultaneously creating consequences for the party that caused the unnecessary tragedy in question. Ultimately, exploring the opportunity of a wrongful death lawsuit can be a smart choice for those struggling to cope with the sudden loss of a loved one due to a recent fatal wreck.
