One of the things an experienced wrongful death lawyer will do for you is help to ascertain who is responsible for the death, whether it’s another driver in a car accident, a medical provider in a medical malpractice case, a property owner in a slip and fall accident, or a pet owner in the case of a dog attack, just for example. In some cases, the liability is shared by multiple people.
Those responsible may try to place the blame on the deceased in order to avoid liability and payment. It may even be determined that your deceased loved one bears some responsibility. However, this doesn’t mean you have no claim for wrongful death.
The state of New York observes comparative negligence, which means that blame for incidents can be shared and it can affect the level of liability each person at fault is assigned. Even if your loved one is held partially responsible, others may still be on the hook for compensation, albeit a smaller percentage.
This just means that you may recover less compensation, but it doesn’t mean you should give up on seeking the compensation you’re due. Our expert team can help you to build the best case possible and make sure that those who are responsible are held accountable.