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Is someone else responsible for the unexpected death of your cherished loved one? If so, pursue justice. Contact a compassionate wrongful death lawyer in Portland today.
It doesn’t matter whether your family member’s death was accidental or intentional. The fact remains, someone else is responsible for their passing. And this means you have the right to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
With the help of a reputable Portland wrongful death lawyer at Craig Swapp & Associates, stand up and advocate for your relative. Your family may be entitled to financial restitution.
Continue reading to learn more about what it means to file a wrongful death lawsuit in Oregon and more about Oregon’s wrongful death laws.
A wrongful death lawsuit differs greatly from any criminal charges the liable party might be facing. In criminal court, the state’s prosecuting attorney could pursue criminal charges. If the defendant is found guilty of the charges against them, they will face criminal penalties such as fines, probation, and jail or prison time. But in order for the defendant to be found guilty, the prosecutor will need to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Civil court is different. Here, you’ll be represented by an Oregon wrongful death attorney. Your attorney will need to prove based on a preponderance of the evidence the accused liable party is, in fact, at fault for your loved one’s death. Instead of seeking criminal penalties, you’ll be seeking maximum restitution for the suffering your family experiences because of the liable party’s wrongful acts.
As you are preparing to pursue an Oregon wrongful death lawsuit, there are a couple of laws you want to be aware of. First is the statute of limitations. Under Oregon’s wrongful death law, you will only have three years from the date of your family members passing to file your claim.
Failure to get your lawsuit filed before the statute of limitation runs out will be disastrous. You will have lost your opportunity to be awarded compensation through the Oregon civil court systems.
You should also make sure you have the right to file the claim. Under Oregon law, anyone who has the right to be awarded Damages in the wrongful death claim can file the lawsuit. Some of these parties could include the decedent’s surviving spouse, children, parents, grandparents, and other parties.
After losing a loved one, you don’t even have the luxury of being able to mourn properly when someone else causes your family member’s death. But you can take action. Hold them accountable for their negligence or wrongful acts. Pursue a civil claim with the help of a compassionate Portland wrongful death lawyer at Craig Swapp & Associates.
Our firm is proud to offer free, no-risk case reviews to families across Portland and the state of Oregon. Call our office at 1-800-404-9000 or complete our quick contact form to schedule yours as soon as today.