Being involved in a car accident is nothing short of a hassle and a headache. First, there is a check to determine whether anyone was injured; then comes the interviews with police and car insurance companies. Unfortunately when someone dies as a result of the accident, the process takes a different turn and lives are impacted all around. The situation changes from investigating what would be considered a routine accident to determining whether vehicular homicide charges should be filed.

Motorists and passengers involved in a fender bender accident may or may not sustain injuries that require hospitalization and physical therapy. In many cases, fender benders are limited to police investigations and negotiations with insurance companies. The difference between a fender bender and a fatal accident is that legal authorities get involved to seek justice for the deceased. 

Beginning The Legal Process 

After police officers complete their investigation into the fatal crash, they forward their results to the district attorney or prosecutor’s office and ask for charges to be filed against the driver who caused the accident. Once the prosecutor files charges, the driver enters the criminal justice system after being arrested and formally charged with the death of the individual. 

As the wheels of justice grind slowly, family members of the person who died must plan for an unexpected funeral and pay burial expenses, medical bills, and other expenses related to the untimely car crash. 

Hiring An Accident Lawyer 

Personal injury attorneys provide guidance for their clients, discuss legal options their clients have under the law, and protect their clients’ civil rights until their case is resolved.

To receive successful results, families should work with an attorney as cooperatively as possible. For an accident lawyer to win a case, the lawyer must prove that:

1. Family members were harmed in that they lost a loved one, and that another individual caused the harm.

2. The individual caused the harm either intentionally or through neglect. In accident cases, this can be proven through police and insurance reports, and a family’s documented expenses related to the accident, among other things.

To receive compensation, a family has a legal option to file a lawsuit against the defendant driver and his insurance company. Most personal injury cases do not go to trial because the accident attorney is capable of negotiating a settlement on the family’s behalf. 

Without a doubt, fatal crashes go well beyond the routine investigations of morning commute or rush-hour accidents due to the mandatory legal aspects of such situations. It is important for families to grasp these legal details and this is where a personal injury attorney can help. 

Families who are recovering from a tragic loss of their loved one should contact a personal injury attorney for a free consultation on how to receive compensation.