Hawaii Wrongful Death Lawyer

Wrongful death claims are claims which arise upon the death of a person injured by the wrongful conduct of others. For individuals harmed through the fault or negligence of another party in Hawaii, Hawaii state law generally provides that the surviving family/ohana of the victim is entitled to assert a wrongful death claim. Such a claim is an opportunity for the estate of the decedent, the family members and others dependent upon the decedent to receive compensation for the costs and expenses associated with the death, the financial losses, the loss of support, and the emotional and social losses - such as loss of companionship and loss of guidance - and other losses. Wrongful death claims generally require that each claimant show that another party is responsible for their damages, due to their lack of reasonable care, recklessness, intentional conduct or otherwise, and show the losses that they have incurred. Most wrongful death claims which are asserted by claimants and handled by a lawyer in the state of Hawaii arise as the result of negligence claims (failure to exercise appropriate care situations); other causes, such as strict liability, recklessness, intentional conduct and other bases for liability make up only a small portion of wrongful death claims.

There are many different reasons why wrongful death claims and other catastrophic injury claims arise. These include car accidents, other motor vehicle accidents, product defect accidents, construction accidents, dangerous animals, boating, ocean and maritime accidents, wrongful death, drunk drivers, injuries from falls, electrical accidents, burn accidents, elevator accidents, medical malpractice, other professional negligence, dangerous conditions on property, safety violations and so forth. For such claims to be addressed in Hawaii's courts, generally the cause of action giving rise to such a claim must have sufficient connections to Hawaii so that Hawaii's courts are willing to hear the matter.

For some of the initial steps that should be taken when a wrongful death claim arises, please visit:
Inital Steps in Making Your Claim

Successful resolution of wrongful death claims can be critical to the future of a family. The funds recovered help to pay back bills and to ensure support for the future. They also can help to address the enormous social and educational problems arising from the injuries. Such claims often include claims for tangible losses such as the loss of future income and medical expenses, substitute services and the like. Such claims also often include claims for intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium and emotional support, loss of love and affection and the like. A wrongful death claim will never get the family back to where it was before the injury, but with the help of an experienced wrongful death attorney, it may be possible at least to lessen some of the losses from the accident.

Every type of claim has a deadline for filing the claim in court. These differ from state to state. The deadlines given on this website are those applicable in the state of Hawaii. This type of deadline is known as the Statute of Limitations. After the expiration of this time period, the claim usually will be lost - regardless of its merits. There are various exceptions to the deadlines (minority, incompetency, etc.), so it may still be worth evaluating a claim even after the deadline has expired. Please note that because of these deadlines, you must act promptly to contact a wrongful death lawyer in Hawaii on any claims which you may wish to pursue.

Contact the Law Office of William H. Lawson now for a free evaluation of your case.